The Other World Saga
by Demod20
Summary: With Vegeta left to be among the strongest heroes to defend Earth from the endless forces of Evil, what is Goku up to? A parallel story in which Goku's exploits in Other World are told, and entirely new and memorably old ones get to see him in the land of the dead!
1. A New Adventure!

**THE OTHER WORLD SAGA**

**Chapter 1 - A New Adventure!**

* * *

**Several Hours after Cell's defeat...**

"Goodbye," a happy, yet solemn voice echoed throughout the massive skyline of the afterlife. This voice belonged to none other than Son Goku, a hero and warrior of Earth, who only learned of his heritage of being a Saiyan, an alien race that conquered and wiped out dozens of planets across the galaxy.

Despite his lifelong goal and aspiration to be a warrior of justice, his existence seemed to attract more and more evil, as if they were targeting Earth because of him. Though his friends weren't convinced, he was sure of himself that even if it wasn't the case, he was more than confident that his son, his friends, and Vegeta could handle the Earth's protection while he explored the Afterlife.

Until then, it was just him and King Kai.

"Thanks King Kai," Goku retracted his hand from his mentor and friend's shoulder, scratching the back of his head sheepishly as he looked down at the floating rotund demi-deity, "sorry about your planet. I guess I should have thought that through a bit more-"

"Thought? You actually THOUGHT that was a good idea?!" King Kai bellowed with undignified rage, as he jumped up to have himself eye level with the idiotic student of his, flailing his arms with anger, "you place blind faith in your son, you teleport yourself with Cell and blow up my planet, and you kill me, yourself, my pet monkey and my grasshopper! How did you think that was going to turn out?!"

"Uh...yeah...sorry," Goku meekly apologized, raising his hands up defensively as his face smiled in a sincerely apologetic way, "I just didn't know of any other planets less populated than yours I could lock onto their energy signature fast enough. All the dead planets around my solar system hardly have a energy signature at all, so I couldn't figure out where to take him..."

"You never think, Goku! That's your problem, and it will always haunt you no matter where you go!" King Kai growled out, before turning his back on him, crossing his arms with a huff over his chest.

Bubbles and Gregory looked on with an awkward pair of stares, not really sure what to make of it. The monkey, grasshopper, and the two humanoids standing in front of them all had glowing halos hovering over their heads, signifying their passing onto the next life and beings capable of retaining their physical forms.

A loud grumble broke the silence, turning even the rotund Kai around to stare gawkingly at his student, his mouth hanging open incredulously at the sound, "W-What was that? You can't seriously tell me you're hungry just mere hours after you died!"

"Well yeah, sorry," Goku rubbed his gut sheepishly, laughing aloud, looking around only to see clouds. His mind beyond reasoning due to his sudden drive to eat, he rushed over to the nearest batch of yellow clouds, grabbing clumps of them, and began to shove them into his mouth and down his throat, "MMMMM! This tastes like candy! OM NOM NOM NOM NOM!"

"This is my star pupil," King Kai sweat-dropped with embarrassment, hanging his head with mild depression, muttering to himself, "I don't know why I bother..."

* * *

It wasn't until long that the explanation for their bodies being kept came around when Goku had calmed down. Due to his heroics displayed multiple times, and his quick initiative for self-sacrifice to keep his planet from being destroyed, Goku was awarded to keep his body after death, and given a special privilege to train with overseer and boss of King Kai, along with the other three Kais: The Grand Kai.

Using Instant Transmission, Goku transported himself and King Kai to the Checkout Station, arriving before King Yemma's massive desk.

"Oh, Goku?" King Yemma leaned over his massive desk, moving his paperwork to each side to allow his black-bearded, red face to peer down at the much shorter Saiyan, "dead again? Is this a habit for you? Should I just expect your visits on a regular basis, or are you just not a lucky person in your world?"

"Ahahahaha, well, I guess I did get carried away a little," Goku laughed with a light-hearted t one.

"And you, King Kai? How does a god get killed?" King Yemma looked down with a perplexed look. He never even considered the idea of a deity even being killed. He scratched his chin and stroked his beard as he pondered this fascinating revelation.

"By letting his hot-headed, idiot student of mine call the shots," King Kai twitched angrily, side-glancing at Goku with a heatedly glare behind his glasses, earning a sheepish smile from the pure-hearted Saiyan, "the only reason I condone this, is that it allowed maturity to blossom from the most unexpected places. For that, I don't regret my death."

"Hmmm, if you say so," King Yemma shrugged, his booming voice sounded nonchalant, unsure if the reasoning was as sound as the rotund deity claimed it to be. Looking at his book, he nodded at the description labeled on the circumstances of Goku's arrival, "saved the Earth from suicidal Bio-Android, Cell. Hmm, seems everything is in order," with a smile, King Yemma thumbed towards the exit to his right, "your plane is that way. Good luck on your visit with the Grand Kai by the way."

"Thanks!" Goku saluted to the large demi-deity, walking around the vast mahogany desk, he stopped himself short. As if something pricked at the back of his mind that he almost forgot. Looking up at King Yemma, Goku raised his hand to ask, "hey, King Yemma, did that guy named Cell walk through here? Did he look like he was going to start problems?"

"Well, anytime I send someone to Hell, they are always itching to start problems," King Yemma spoke with an exaggerated sigh, remembering every soul he condemned and sent into the black pit into the brimstone-filled air of the world they would spend the rest of their miserable lives. Raising his head to look back at Goku, however, he had a disturbed look on his face, "but that Cell is a curious one. He didn't seem surprised that he was being sent to Hell, clearly understanding of his predicament. He just gave me a smile, and said that he'd _find a way back_, and that he _couldn't be caged forever_."

"Cell," Goku briefly glared in thought, the name exiting his tongue like ash. The mere thought of Cell plotting more machinations, even in death,caused the righteous Saiyan warrior to begin balling his fists as his teeth grinded with a show of his anger at the Bio-Android, "that menace will never stop, even when he's been killed again and again!"

"Well, if it makes you feel any better, I haven't heard anything about him causing trouble down below," grabbing large folders, he repeatedly tapped them onto the desk, speaking in a nonchalant, and hopefully encouraging note, "if he has, then the Grand Kai will send someone to stop him. He does that a lot to keep order in the underworld."

"Hmmm," Goku stroked his chin, a smile worked its way back on his face, voicing his thoughts, "maybe if Cell starts acting up again, I can have that rematch with Cell I always wanted, while stopping him from causing more harm to everyone else."

"I wouldn't push your luck, Goku," King Kai waved a finger from his hand, trying to implore the chances of Goku's thoughts coming to fruition would be, "the Grand Kai is not someone to merely ask a favor of. And he only sends in the best. If he sees what you got and recognizes your potential, he MIGHT respect you enough to give you the training you've earned, as well as any additional favors you might ask of him."

"Well, we'll see, now won't we?" Goku balled his hand into an anticipating fist, before waving to King Yemma as he sprinted off to the plane mentioned, "so long, King Yemma! Hope to see you again!"

"It would be too soon for you, Goku," King Yemma sighed, before nodding off to King Kai in particular, "take care of that pupil of yours. I hope he doesn't get into too much trouble, here, in the Other World."

"Knowing him, he'll probably jump right into it, head first, with a dumb grin on his face," King Kai sighed, chuckling as he followed the hyperactive pupil of his off to the plane, in order to meet the Grand Kai of legend.

* * *

The flight didn't take very long, much to Goku's amazement.

While originally taking a clunker of a plane in comparison to the shiny, big transport ones the majority of the souls took, the exchange of views was quite amazing. The Other World, layered with luminous clouds and lights, took up most of the view, as most of the spirits of good merit and character, lived in harmony and tranquility within its known high terraces and expansive living areas.

Though they briefly passed over it, they saw a planet, not much bigger than King Kai's, up straight ahead, growing larger and larger as they approached it.

"Wow! Another small planet, huh?!" Goku laughed aloud with humor, looking over at his rotund mentor with a jocular grin on his face, "do all Kais have small planets, or is there a reason for that?"

"I don't have a planet anymore, so you tell me, bone head!" King Kai snarled at Goku, earning some sheepish chuckles from his apprentice, before the aged deity sighed with nostalgia as he looked out the window at the planet, "all Kai planets are that size. Mine was, at one point."

"WHAAAA-?!" Goku exclaimed comically, his eyes bulging at the thought of King Kai's planet being that much larger than what he remembered it, "w-w-what happened to it? What caused it to become so small?!"

"It got smashed into pieces by an _angry god_, one of the likes I hope you never meet," King Kai spoke in a melodramatic tone, his body shivering in fear from the experience.

Goku scratched his head briefly in confusion, before letting it drop with a shrug of his shoulders, "Well, at least that mystery is solved...sorta..."

As the rest of the flight retained silence, a brief announcement was hailed to the sole two passengers as they touched down upon the landing strip, right in the middle of a large green field.

When Goku stepped onto the planet, he felt as if it was back to standing on King Kai's planet, except with a much larger horizon on the scope. Not only that, it was dotted with trees, ponds, small houses of spartan living arrangements, as well as dozens of entities of all races and sizes.

Goku looked in awe as he kept in step with King Kai, noting each of them wearing golden halos over their heads, while in intense training. Whether it was solo or paired up, or even within a large group, each of the warriors wore expressions of intense concentration. It reminded him of the good ol' days when he would focus on nothing but training.

The Saiyan student also took note that several of the warriors stopped when they caught sight of King Kai, making sure to bow and/or wave at the small deity that walked past them.

"Nice to see you, King Kai!" A human martial artist waved to the rotund Kai, a pleased expression crossing his face in greetings as he took a minute to stop his training.

"Nice to see you again too, Jack Lee," King Kai nodded, wearing an appreciative smile that he still was remembered so far into the Other World. He probably had made an impression over the last few years with Goku's exploits. He could only guess.

"Likewise," lightly tanned, black haired man looked up at Goku, and bowed in greetings to Goku in return, "I see from the manner of your entrance that your King Kai's newest apprentice. This your first time in Other World?"

"Thanks, Jack," Goku smiled with greetings, bowing in return politely as well, before scratching the back of his head sheepishly, "oh no, this isn't my first time. I died a few years ago, and that's how I met King Kai. This time around, I guess we both bit the dust in the end, hahaha!"

"That's not funny, Goku!" King Kai yelled out at Goku, slamming his foot on Goku's, causing the Saiyan to wince and wave his arms in protest to yield his attacks on his person.

"Dead?" Jack cocked his head to the side, realizing there was indeed a golden halo hovering over the Kai's head, blinking with perplexity, "huh. I guess I never realized that Kais could die too. Weird..."

"Yeah, yeah, nothing is sacred anymore, I know!" King Kai grumbled aloud, causing Jack to smile at the well known Kai's predicament. As he was about to excuse himself, another outburst caught all three of their's attention.

"Kakarot?!" The voice of a dumbfounded Kanassan spoke as it approached with a paled expression, "th-the son of Bardock?!"

"Huh?" Goku looked at the martial artist with a confused expression, obviously having never met the fish-man, nor knew that this aged deceased entity knew of his real name, and the name he was briefly told of that was his father, "no, my name is Goku, but you wouldn't be the first to-"

"I knew it!" the Kanassan suddenly shouted with ecstatic joy, realizing something beyond King Kai and Goku's incredulous comprehension. Raising his arms he began to shout in a deranged tone, "I TOLD you I saw the future! I saw the child of Bardock, stand here, next to King Kai, tell me his name is Goku! I CAN see the FUTURE!"

"Uhhhh," Goku felt a wave of embarrassment rub across him, causing him to bend down to whisper at King Kai, "uh, hey, can you just tell me which direction the Grand Kai's place is? I'd rather not make a scene with this, uh, guy right now..."

"Oh sure," King Kai nodded, pointing in the direction of where he knew of his overseer would be, "its right over ther-"

He wouldn't get the chance to finish, as Goku quickly grabbed King Kai's shoulder, before pressing a finger to his forehead, and transported himself and his mentor out before the crazed Kanassan could turn around.

"And they're gone?!" The Kanassan spoke aghast, before speaking aloud in a deranged tone once again, "I totally saw that! IN THE FUTURE!"

* * *

Within a short burst of instantaneous travel, Goku and King Kai appeared directly in front of a large, white mansion of surprising western-design. It hardly looked like the place a martial artist of grand standings would be living. It certainly was a bigger step up from King Kai's living space, back when he had a planet.

"Ohhhhh!" King Kai, however, immediately rushed towards a shiny car, forgetting to explain anything to Goku about whose house they arrived at, "wow! I always wanted one of these! I can't believe he got this! HO HO HO HO!"

"Ah, King Kai, we really don't have time for this," Goku complained, seeing the King Kai get distracted so easily upsetting him. He really wanted to face this Grand Kai and have a real challenge!

"AAAAAAAAAH! ITS YOU!" A voice cried out in a similar, yet a bit more high-pitched octave than King Kai's.

Looking over to the source of the voice, both Goku and King Kai looked at a pair of entities standing not but ten meters away from them. One was a rotund Kai, similar in shape, but a little smaller than King Kai, but had a spectacle on his left eye in place of King Kai's preferred oval shades. The other standing directly next to him, was a large tubular-shaped turban wearing green skinned amphibian man. With thin salmon colored lips, and a stoic glare that could rival Piccolo's, it was apparent that this unknown entity, who also bore a golden halo above his head, is the current student of the Kai in question.

"Agh! West Kai!" King Kai growled, as he hobbled over and met the West Kai just a spare foot apart from each other, glaring daggers at each other. Comically, the air seemed to thicken, and grow heavy. In fact, Goku could see vibrant energy ripple off their bodies, something that not even he was privy to witnessing.

After the tense moment of glaring silently, the West Kai pointed at King Kai in a suspicious tone, "What the Hell do you think you're doing here?!"

"I dunno, short-stuff! What the Hell do you think I'm doing here?!" King Kai retored with a snort, a vein sprouting across his blue colored forehead in response.

"Well, I hope its not to get an audience with the Grand Kai! No fighter here alive is stronger in the West Quadrant than my Pikkon!" The West Kai boasted, stepping back a few steps as he puffed his chest and waved towards the stoically silent, tall creature standing near him.

It unnerved Goku just how hard his stare was when observing him. He could tell from the fact he projected no ki to give off the sense he was a powerful fighter, if he could barely feel any presence from him what-so-ever.

As the West Kai laughed, he suddenly realized King Kai's halo, hovering just above his head. With a few suppressed snickers, the West Kai began laughing aloud, falling to his back as he held his belly from the sheer hilarity of the situation.

"W-What are you laughing about?!" King Kai demanded with an angry vein protruded from his head.

"Y-Y-You're actually dead! I can't believe the high and mighty King Kai died! HAHAHAHAHA!" The West Kai snorted and chuckled with great humor. Sadly, it seemed he was the only one laughing about the irony of a _god _dying.

"Y-Yeah so what of it?! I-Its not that big of a deal!" The King Kai insisted.

"Oh yeah? Finally, you bit the dust, and your death will be the first funny thing that's happened!" The West Kai chortled, still greatly amused by his fellow Kai's predicament.

"I-It wasn't my fault!" King Kai tried to implore, furthering more laughter from the West Kai.

Goku, feeling that he should own up to it, stepped in between the Kais and spoke apologetically and sincerely, "He's right, it wasn't his fault. It was my mistake to begin with. I had to transport this monster, named Cell, there to keep my planet from blowing up. It was a stupid call, and it costed both my life, and the life of my mentor. Please don't hold this over him," he bowed humbly, trying to regain some sense of dignity for his teacher.

"Heh?" The West Kai could do nothing but listen to the strange Saiyan, bowing before him and speaking with such humility and sincerity, "who is this, King Kai? A Saiyan?"

Regaining his composure, King Kai smiled with pride as he extended his hand to the now standing Goku, "This man is named Goku. He is a strong, righteous warrior, bearing incredible talent as a martial artist. He's saved the Northern Galaxy, and his own home planet, many times in the past."

"Oh, so you ARE trying to visit the Grand Kai, eh?!" The West Kai immediately retracted from his quiet tone, and yelled out with indignation, balling his fists with emphasis, "well we have an appointment! The Grand Kai specifically asked _Pikkon _and not this _Goku _to help!"

"If you weren't so short, you'd hear what I'd have been saying, West Kai! Goku and I have been given permission ahead of time to come straight here so that he could begin training immediately!" The King Kai fumed, almost reaching the edge of his limits. For the first time in centuries, he felt as if he actually wanted to punch the lights out of something, especially a fellow Kai.

"Oh yeah?!" The West Kai glared at King Kai, baling his own fists with indignation, "why you-!"

"Cool your jets, my fellow Kais!" A booming voice was heard from overhead the mansion, following up a flashing orb of pulsating light. It thickened the air and crackled with intense energy, causing Goku to goggle up at the display.

While the two Kais and Pikkon immediately bowed before the rapidly descending orb of light, Goku insisted on standing, in total awe and wonder of the force approaching his way.

"Get down on your knees, Goku!" King Kai growled, finally pulling him down to the grassy lawn, before the orb finally erupted the earth below it, and revealing the most unexpected thing.

The Grand Kai, decked out in a blue jean jacket, wore a pair of square-shaped black shades that matched his black gloves and boots, and the shredded jeans below his white sleeveless shirt. He currently was rocking out to a beat on an old-time stereo, holding it next to his head, he hummed and grunted out the beat as he approached the four with a few slides of his feet.

"_This is the _Grand Kai_?!_" Goku thought, as his eyes bulged and his face dripped of nervous sweat, "_that energy I felt from him was real enough, probably a lot stronger than mine. But why does he look so weird?_"

After a spin on his boot-covered heels, the Grand Kai dropped the stereo and promptly turned off the music. Wearing a big grin that reminded Goku of Master Roshi, but a bit more refined in a way. The Kai squatted in front of his guests and put his hands on his hips.

"Ah, so you came at the same time, eh, West Kai? North Kai?" The Grand Kai asked in a low, yet hip-sounding way.

"If you want to get technical about it, I got here first!" King Kai raised a fist in the air before pointing at himself with a smug grin.

"No way! Pikkon and I got here way before you did!" The West Kai insisted, glaring at the King Kai, who in turn, glared back at the accusation.

"Settle down, both of ya!" The Grand Kai ordered aloud, sighing as he crossed his arms over his chest, "this petty rivalry of ya'z need to stop, y'know? Any time I see you two, ya at each oth'az throats! You're fella Kais! Start acting like it!"

"Yes Grand Kai!" The two Kais immediately bowed in apology, albeit, begrudgingly having to put their differences aside just this once.

"That's betta, man. You all just need to chill," The Grand Kai nodded with approval, gesturing his hands briefly in emphasis. Taking the time to see the two fighters at either side of the Kais, he stroked his beard in thought, grunting in thought, "yeah, dat'a do, fo sure."

"What will do?" Goku asked, being the first to speak since the Grand Kai arrive, having stood back up along with Pikkon since the Grand Kai officially introduced himself.

"Hmm, you must be Goku," The Grand Kai smiled widely, raising a hand gesture in the form of a fist, "pleased to meet ya!"

"Oh, uh, sure," Goku awkwardly looked at the fist before looking at his own hand, and slowly bumped his own fist against the Grand Kai's, "nice to meet you too."

"Hmmm, that was a little weak fist bump there, bro," Grand Kai spoke with a little disappointment, before grinning in succession, "we're going to have to work on our greeting later. I have something I want to tell you and Pikkon."

"What is it?" Goku spoke, this time, in unison with Pikkon's own level toned voice, earning a brief look over the Saiyan's shoulder to see the green-skinned man's stern visage never wavering.

"I need you both to go to Hell," the Grand Kai nodded with a smile on his face.

"Ah! That's not a very nice thing to say!" Goku recoiled back, clearly not realizing the literal meaning behind the Grand Kai's order.

"No you idiot! He means to go to the Underworld, Hell, to help out on something of great importance!" King Kai explained with an angry tone.

"Ohhhh, phew! For a minute there, I thought that I made a bad impression or something, hahaha!" Goku laughed sheepishly, earning a look of embarrassment to be shown from his mentor.

Whispering, the West Kai asked with a smug grin on his face, "Not one to pick a smart student, eh, King Kai?"

"Shut your mouth, West Kai!" King Kai hissed back, but still retained a look of clear embarrassment from his pupil's reaction.

"Glad ya understand, good to be on da same page," Grand Kai nodded with satisfaction, he turned his head to Pikkon first, saying aloud, "there's been some problems escalating from the Saiyans near their territory. I hear some of the local gangs have been trying to provoke a response. I want you to mediate a diplomatic solution of sorts, ya know?"

"Understood," Pikkon spoke with affirmation.

"If things get outa hand, you have my permission to use _unpleasant_ force, kay?" Grand Kai spoke with a serious tone, clearly understanding the volatility of the situation better than the rest did.

"Hmph," Pikkon responded with a grunt, before turning on his heels, and shooting off into the sky, leaving a white-hue trail of energy behind him as he soared into the distant beautiful vista of the planet, before reaching escape velocity.

"Now, Goku," Grand Kai started, getting the Saiyan's attention, who clearly looked confused by what he meant by Saiyans, continued, "I want ya to understand how Hell works before I send ya on a job of ya own. Ya know how I said how the Saiyans have a territory? Well, each race tends ta follow the same footsteps of misbegotten deeds as their ancestors, and begin to populate and gather together in Hell. We call these places, Territories, due to how they try and keep them free of outsiders."

"Oh," Goku nodded, furrowing his brow as he asked aloud in seriousness, "so, all of my ancestors are in Hell?"

"As far as I can recall, there hasn't been a single Saiyan in the history of ya race that's considered to be righteous enough to be given the right to be in Heaven," The Grand Kai spoke matter-of-fact, grinning as he met Goku's eyes with hidden twinkling ones behind his shades, "which means that this is all the more surprising that you, a Saiyan, get to stand here before me and help out the side of good, instead of vice versa, ya know?"

"Wow," Goku's eyes went wide with enormity of the true meaning by what the deity said. To think he, Son Goku, was the first Saiyan that would be considered worthy enough to retain his body and even meet the Grand Kai, among being able to stay in Heaven's domain, made him feel all the more humble, "I didn't realize until now how much more amazing it is to be standing here!"

"Mhm, that's right," Grand Kai nodded, before continuing on his debrief, "now ya going to go to a place what I like to call **No Man's Land**. I say this cause nobody in particular makes it their own territory, and anyone from anywhere can traverse there. It also happens to be where the most trouble is caused between hotshots and arrogant jackasses, prancing around like they're hot stuff. If we're not careful, the violence could escalate and cause a lot of problems for us to clean up afterwards, ya know?"

"Oh, I see," Goku fist-palms his hands together, trying to make himself appear to know what the Grand Kai was speaking of, "so you're saying bad guys usually try and fight other bad guys, and it can get a bit much for the ogres monitoring the place down there. And that all of Hell might be destroyed!"

"Yes and no," Grand Kai said with a little humor, waving a hand around the planet and then towards the distant large celestial space of Other World beyond Other Space, "while this would be bad if we lost a few ogres and whatnot, the damage done to Hell is automatically undone. Its basically impossible to destroy this place with raw force. Well you could, but the damage would basically be undone within a matter of a few seconds to a few minutes. Same here for those who are already dead. As long as you stay in Other World, you can come back from any death you might sustained from real quick, see."

"Wow! Really? That's cool!" Goku exclaimed in a childish fit of amazement.

"Its just a big pain for us if they don't destroy stuff entirely, leaving us to clean up their mess. That, and them being violent isn't good for their state of mind anyways," waving his hand off to Goku, he beckoned him to get a move on it, "well get! From the way I heard, the Arcosian Royal Family is the root of the trouble, so ya better get a move on it!"

"Got it!" Goku turned to leave, but halting dead in his tracks. Sheepishly, he turned around and scratched his head with confusion, "what's a Arcossan?"

"An Arcosian is the thing you fought against both on Namek, and then later on Earth. You probably remember them by their names, Freiza, Cooler, and Cold. They're part of the Royal Family, that is, and most of the henchman followed them into the underworld, and are now at their beck and call," The Grand Kai informed them.

"That's horrible!" Goku exclaimed, before tightening his fists with anger, he realized the urgency of the matter now, "they can turn that place upside down if they get angry enough! I gotta go now!"

With a sudden flourishing discharge of white-blue energy, Goku leaped into the air and soared into the horizon, locking onto the familiar energy signatures he'd know belonging to his old arch-nemesis and his family.

"There he goes, yo!" Grand Kai spoke with a grin, nodding his head as he stroked his beard. He looked over at King Kai, querying, "so tell me: is that hairstyle natural for Saiyans, or is he the only one that always look out of whack?"

"W-What? How am I supposed to know?!" King Kai bellowed with confusion and indignation, earning a few chuckles from West and Grand Kai collectively.

* * *

Goku propelled himself at mind-numbing speeds off the Gand Kai's planet as he rushed towards the luminous, cloud-covered world that hovered in the middle of the multi-colored Other Space. The aura screamed across the air as if he were a rocket, disregarding the countless entities taking refuge among the tops of the world he barreled down past, as he aimed to go exactly straight to Hell, like he was ordered to.

All the while, Goku had mixed feelings.

On the one hand, he reveled the opportunity in teaching Freiza and his family a lesson in bullying others and trying to get their way all of the time with their conceited look on life. Their arrogance was one of the biggest reasons that got them killed, after all, thinking they were the strongest, and therefore, crush anyone underneath their boots whoever they felt deserved it.

On the other hand, Goku hoped that the _Arcossans_ or the _Arcosheens_ would try to be reasonable and not start any trouble. If what Grand Kai said was true, killing them wouldn't solve the problem permanently either. The endless cycle of death and pain wouldn't end, even if he rushed down every time they started something.

Goku only hoped he could come up with a solution that would benefit everybody, and not just a simple, temporary patch-up to the big problem. But what?

Just then, as he felt the gathering of power levels beneath him, he also felt familiar and unfamiliar signatures. There was one, that he never thought he'd ever feel, and feel this strongly, surprised him greatly.

Deciding to be subtle about his entrance, he found himself cutting his descent short as he halted atop a red-rocked plateau, overlooking an endless, familiar barren wasteland. He could feel power levels all over, but most stayed clear from this area. Drawing his eyes to source of the energy signatures, he gasped aloud as he saw one familiar entity standing before the rest.

"R-Raditz?!" Goku gasped, trying not to sound too loudly, as he tried to listen in on what was transpiring not but twenty meters away.

"Well, if isn't the renegade family?" Freiza, standing at the head of his older brother, and his father, being flanked by his fractured Ginyu Force, minus Ginyu. He wore a sneer mixed with a false smile, appearing to be very displeased with the sight of the brother of Goku standing before his presence yet again, "does gluttony for pain run in your family, or are all Saiyans just this stupid?!"

"That depends, Freiza," Raditz spoke in a familiar haughty tone, grinning smugly as he narrowed his eyes at the Frost Demon, "do all Arcosians sound like girls, or are you the only exception to be the family bitch?"

"Insolent little-!" Despite being so easily goaded, and this having happened at previous intervals before, it seems history repeats itself easily within the afterlife. With a swing of his hand, he yelled out to his goons, "Ginyu Force! Take this wretched monkey down!"

"Yes sir!" All four Elite soldiers rushed out immediately, shouting in battle cries as they discharged auras of energy around themselves to speed up their attack. Certainly Raditz couldn't take on all four of the finest soldiers in Freiza's arsenal-?!

"Weak," Raditz spoke softly, as he saw them all come towards him as if they were moving in slow motion. Flaring a brief scarlet-white aura of energy, Raditz twirled around Burter to get to his flank, kneeing him in the kidney hard enough to detonate most of his internal organs, and hurtle him sideways over his charging brethren.

But he didn't stop there.

Raising his left hand over his head, a scarlet ball of crackling electric energy gathered above his skin, before he hurtled it at Jeice and Guldo, catching them both within a violent web of shocking energies, muting any gargled screams of agony they had before collapsing unconsciously.

Recoome halted as he felt the simultaneous shifts in the air that took out both of his comrades, looking over his shoulder in horror to see three of the four-man squad taken out with such ease. It barely looked as if Raditz had even moved.

Before Recoome could retaliate, he saw Raditz charge at him as if he was a blurring rocket, and then found his chest cave in and his back explode backwards, in sync of a devastating right hook moving through his whole chest cavity. He tried to claw at Saiyan's head, but found himself doing nothing but twitching, puking out his own life force, before falling onto his back.

"Well, that was disappointing, as usual," flicking away some organs latched onto his hand, Raditz looked over at the steaming tyrant and his family, "come now, certainly you don't want me to kill all of your subordinates again, do you?"

"FILTHY MONKEY!" Freiza shouted out in a crazed tone, his eyes blood-shot with sheer anger. He rushed forward with his own aura of ki, aiming to clock out the renegade Saiyan's face with a single strike, "DIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIE!~"

Then, something happened that surprised not the gathered Royal Arcosian Family, nor their subordinates, but Goku, huddling behind a group of rocks on the large over-looking plateau.

**VMMMMM!** Within a violent blast of yellow energy, Raditz power shot through the rooft, allowing his emerald eyes to lock onto the incoming white fist and grab it with ease, stopping the Frost Demon straight in his tracks. The release of such violent energy crushed the ground beneath Saiyan, sending rivulets of electric shocks along his hair, causing it to shift into golden-blonde coloration as it stood up half-way on end, due to the legendary transformation.

"Y-You damn Super Saiyans!" Freiza growled out, even as he felt his fist crunch and shatter under the increasing pressure Raditz placed it under, forcing him to his knees with tears of pain snaking down his face, "I'll get you all, eventually!"

"Really, Freiza?" An unfamiliar voice called from the shadows of a nearby rock formation, just underneath Goku's perch, basking in the shadows with his own sleeveless, dark green-black armor. He strode forth with a similar ease and focus that Goku had when facing down forces of evil he wholly despised. Yet, his tone was much deeper, older, scarred. Who was this Saiyan? "it seems to me you and your family still can't cut it, even after my son killed you all. The idea of you being outclassed must sting a lot, especially since you can't flee in this world."

"B-Bardock, I'll-YAAAAAAAAH!" Freiza tried to snarl, but felt himself scream in blood curdling agony, as Raditz pulled his entire arm out of his socket, leaving a spray of blood and bones in the the wake of the ruthless maneuver that further sent the tyrant to his knees.

Meanwhile, Cooler felt his blood boil at the sight of the familiar renegade family. Taking a step forward, he only felt himself stopped by the large hand of his towering father's form, discouraging the move.

"But father! They're disgracing our name-" Cooler tried to insist, wanting to strike at them despite how outclassed even he was in comparison to the pair of Saiyans.

"Its as it always has been, since I've joined you in the underworld, my sons. Here, our honor, our influence, our wealth, means nothing. We're wasting our time picking fights which we haven't won in years," King Cold sighed with finality, knowing that the method of his enemies wouldn't even give him a chance to battle appropriately. No, these Saiyans were much too ruthless against their ilk for there to be a use of proper battle to take place.

"Tch, fine with you, father to take refuge behind my brother's skirt, and flee when that doesn't help you at all," Cooler snarled, as his body began to brim with energy, and his body began to shift into his own, personally founded form of absolute destruction, "I intend to crush these so-called Super Saiyans!"

Bardock shifted his gaze to the growing power of Cooler, taking the wafting gale force wind flourish past his hair and blood-soaked headband, glaring coldly back at the Frost Demon that ascended into the 5th Form.

"Stay out of this, brother!" Freiza snarled, trying his best to stay conscious from the immense pain and not take his guard off the Super Saiyan in front of him, "this is none of your concern!"

**KRAK-KOOM!** "Our family's pride is most definitely my concern!" Cooler's voice boomed out as a bone-shaped mask shifts over his jawline, as his transformation finally completed. Despite the immense force and energy he withheld, it was still a little weaker than Raditz's energy, something that caused a scoffing laugh to energy from behind the Frost Demons.

"You trash really don't know when to give up, do you?" A female voice punctuated the air as a long-black haired Saiyan emerged with startling speed, punctuating her last two words by smashing in the skulls of the two largest cohorts of Cooler's Armored Squad.

Before the leader of the triad could react, the female Saiyan head-butted Salza into the backside of King Cold, causing the latter Frost Demon to keel over with a startled look on his face.

"All three of them are here?!" The eldest of the Arcosians groaned out with terror, causing even Cooler to turn around with fear in his blazing red eyes.

**VMMMMM!** "That's right, Cold," the female Saiyan spoke with satisfaction, as a burst of golden energy emerged from her own body, causing her own hair to blaze a yellow light, as the aura full enraptured her form. Fully immersed in power, the mother of Raditz's emerald eyes took time to glare back at the three outmatched Frost Demons, "life's a bitch in Hell, ain't it?!"

"Get out of our sight, trash!" Bardock punctuated by powering up into the legendary transformation himself, his eyes eerily looking a lot like Goku's when he was enraged, something that sent fear down the spines of the two younger Arcosians, "before I have to break you all over again!"

"L-L-LET'S GET OUT OF HERE!" Freiza screeched, almost feeling like he shed his skin in sheer terror of the forces standing before him, taking off into the sky with a trail of violet-white, that was soon followed by the two other family members of the Royal Arcosian line.

As silence followed the haste-filled retreat of the hated enemies of the Saiyans, all three of the Super Saiyans turned to each other with a knowing look. It wasn't long before all three of them burst out laughing, with Raditz keeling over onto his knees with great hilarity, and the other two parents lifting their faces up to let their laughter echo the air.

"D-Did you see the look on Freiza's face when I tore his arm off?! Priceless, hahahaha!" Raditz guffawed as his fists beat the ground with unintentional great force.

"That's nothing! I think he pissed himself when he saw me come out of the shadows! That never gets old!" Bardock barked out his own throaty laugh as he wiped a few tears from his eyes.

"I liked how truly terrified their father was when I came out behind the lot, right after I took out their remaining lackeys! Ahhhhhh, good times," the mother of Raditz chuckled as she settled herself down, but still not relaxing her aura.

It wasn't after a few minutes of laughter had erupted, that the sound of rocks falling from behind them confirmed what they all felt.

"Hanassia, I believe we have company," Bardock spoke with a grin, turning around to cross his arms and face the pleateau, of which Goku now felt little effectiveness in hiding from plain view, "you can come out now! I know you're a Saiyan, but its best to show yourself before we kick you back to King Vegeta's place!"

Goku didn't know what to do. From the way they talked, showed off incredible power, and looked, they looked to be his family; Raditz, his long-lost brother whom had died all those years ago; Bardock, his father who stood up to Freiza and died along with his mother, Hanassia, with most of the Saiyan race.

After debating for a few seconds, Goku felt himself pale as Hanassia aimed a golden-hued orb of energy at the plateau, "If you don't come out, I'm going to kick your ass across Hell all day! Come out now!"

"Way to be subtle, mom," Raditz muttered, but still intrigued by the spy, lurking within the rocks.

"Shut it, Raditz!" Hanassia comically barked back with angry veins protruding from her forehead, still holding her aim at Goku's position.

"WAIT!" Goku finally stood up, causing all three Super Saiyans to calm down and halt their musings entirely. A sheepish smile crawled onto Goku's face as he scratched his chin, even as he jumped down to greet the three of them, he was wary. After all, they were all sent to Hell for a reason, "I didn't mean to spy. I was just sent here to-"

"KAKAROT!" A triad of startled voices rose out, as all three Super Saiyans de-powered, and stared at Goku with amazement.

"Uh, yeah, I guess that's my Saiyan name," Goku tentatively agreed with the triad of family members, but none-the-less smiled back at them warmly, "its nice to meet you, mom and dad. I never thought I'd get the chance to-"

He found himself cut off, as Bardock clasped his shoulder with a proud look in his eyes. As Goku's eyes locked onto Bardock's, he felt a familiar, approving smile crawl onto his deceased father's, "You're the one who put Freiza and his family into the ground, didn't you? For that, my son, I'm proud of you."

"Uh, thanks, it was nothing really," Goku laughed nervously, scratching the back of his head as his father backed off, allowing Raditz to approach him, ceasing any form of laughter he had.

"Uh...sorry Raditz...y'know, about the whole having you die, and all-" Goku tried to apologize, but that only furthered Raditz's growing fury towards his brother.

With a violent lunge, only halted short by their mother grabbing his ear, Raditz snarled almost rabidly at Goku, "You freaking jerk! You killed me! I'll get you back for this! I swear-ow-ow-ow-ow!"

"That's enough, Raditz, or I'll swear I'll give you another beating," Hanassia sighed with a roll of her eyes. After taking a good look at her son, she smiled warmly, "Kakarot. I never thought I'd get to see you again..."

"Uh, thanks mo-OOOMF?!" Goku found himself cut off yet again, only this time by a blurring left hook smashing him in the face, and hurtling him straight back into the rock formation, shattering it to pieces.

"THAT was for not visiting us when you died the first time!" Hanassia fumed, still holding Raditz by the ear much to his chagrin, as she balled her fist with anger towards her son.

"Owwww...ah...sorry about that, I was in a little bit of a hurry," Goku apologized as he got up onto his feet, rubbing his nose and face with discomfort. He was surprised how hard his mother hit, but then, he knew where he got his insane strength from.

He smiled, none-the-less, back at his mom, causing his mother to smile with acknowledgement.

"Why don't we have a talk, Kakarot?" Hanassia then insisted, letting go of Raditz finally as she crossed her arms over her black breastplate, speaking with sincerity, "I'd like to know just how my son has been fairing in his life, over the rest of his family's..."

* * *

**A/N**: And there we go! First chapter of the Other World Saga! A series that will follow closely to the Vegeta Chronicles while keeping Goku's exploits in the Afterlife all his own and not robbing the spotlight unnecessarily for the rest of the Z Fighters on Earth.

I'm glad I got to place Goku in a way that would be fitting for him to be introduced to his family. Even Raditz gets to be a badass, and for that, I thoroughly enjoyed his scene, despite how short it may have been. Bardock is a favorite of mine and many others in the Fandom community, so I felt obligated to give him a proper showing as well. And lastly, Hanassia's entrance, I hope, was as satisfying fo you readers as it was for me.

I hoped you all liked the little bits of humor I placed here, and I hoped I portrayed the rest of the characters closely to how you remembered them. If you have any comments or suggestions for future chapter releases, let me know! :)

Until then, I will be producing another Vegeta Chronicles chapter within the following week, and a follow-up chapter here next weekend! See ya then ;)


	2. The Proposal

**THE OTHER WORLD SAGA**

**Chapter 2 - The Proposal**

* * *

After their initial meeting, Hanassia suggested the four of them go back to their "home" of which they built upon. This was much to Raditz's chagrin, but both parents told him to "shove it" as it were, keeping him from further complaining about the idea of his tail-less, renegade of a brother staying with them.

As they flew for a good half hour, Goku saw a massive black-&-red mountain in the distance, with its peak cut clean off, forming a nice thirty meter space for a high perch to live upon. From even the kilometer of distance Goku could see a group of make-shift structures in the distance, as well as a series of fences stacked up the side of the mountain, with glimmering with thin wires.

Once they touched down, Goku got a tour of the living space of which his family called their new home, for what homes go in Hell.

Camped up on a distant plateau where Hell was darkest, a hovel of sorts was constructed by Hanassia, composing of three solid cubes about five meters in diameter and five meters in height, all of which had a center space fifteen meters away from their cloth-door exits, from which a simple campfire was constructed. Modeled after the emergency shelters Saiyan warriors often built during times of distress or when isolated from their squad and any other allies. It supplied no defense from lurking residents of Hell, so an inventive solution was created by Bardock to prevent themselves from being repeatedly killed in their sleep.

A hovering barrier perimeter fence, consisting of quarter of inch thick cables that are all hooked and spread around near the base of the mountain, and held together by aged metal pipes. Having been strengthened by Ki, it doubles as both an electric fence and a razor wire, capable of cutting through nearly any substance it comes into contact with while simultaneously frying the hell out of anyone who tries to sneak up on them.

"Well, whatcha think?" Bardock asked in his gruff monotone, crossing his arms over his chest as he studied Goku's intrigued reactions with mild interest, "I know it ain't much, but we get by pretty well once we found out how to avoid the hitters, and even better when we found the secret to ascend. This campsite hasn't been touched in...I think its been a year, maybe longer."

"Well, it looks pretty well defended and has a nice homey ring to it," Goku nodded with approval, smiling pleasantly at his father and mother. As he saw them return appreciative grins back, he noted that Raditz had his back turned, almost as if he was thinking of something else entirely, "say, just thought to ask, but how did you guys turn into Super Saiyans?"

"Wait, you mean you can turn into one as well?" Hanassia gaped in sync with Bardock.

"Mhm," Goku reared back his arms, briefly tensing his muscles, before letting a golden glow of energy burst from his being, erecting his hair upright and shifting his eye color to that of emerald gems. Smiling as he faced his stunned family members, including a pissed-off Raditz in the background, as he pulsed with immense power and a vibrant, calm aura of golden flames, "so? What do you think?"

"A-Amazing!" Hanassia's eyes flickered with joy and amazement, letting her words unfold from her tongue before she realized what would happen, "you're way stronger than Raditz is-!"

"INCONCEIVABLE!" Raditz instantly ignited into his own Super Saiyan form, his body ebbing with electric pulses as veins protruded from his forehead and knuckles, glaring heatedly at Goku, "no tail-less, Earth-loving fool can surpass me in power! This has to be some kind of joke! I'll crush you if that's what it takes to prove my point-!"

"Raditz," Hanassia interrupted coldly, as she turned on her heels, her eyes glaring heatedly at Raditz, immediately wiping away his present-state's rage, "do you want me to show you why _you're _the **weakest** of us, or will you just shut your damned mouth?!"

Simultaneously, Goku and Raditz found themselves terrified of their mother, de-powering immediately, with the latter turning away in a huff before sitting on the edge of the clean cut platform their campsite resided on. Goku on the other hand gulped, never having felt this intimidated since meeting Chi-Chi.

As Hanassia rolled her eyes, she crossed her arms, musing with an annoyed tone, "Well, I hope you didn't have to get your ass kicked as much as Raditz did. The only way he got up in power was by having us purposely bait the Cold Family and their subordinates to come pummel him to death. As he kept coming back from his deaths, the Zenkai increased his power greatly, but he soon found his pathetic power ceiling. So...probably after twenty or twenty four times of Freiza crushing his body into bits, Raditz finally lost it, and achieved his own transformation," with a smirk, she shook her head with thought as her eyes closed, "now all he ever wants to do is repay Freiza for all of the times he got his body pummeled inwards, which leads us to become some form of Enforcer group for this sector of Hell."

"Huh, really?" Goku looked over at the pouting form of his older brother, before turning his head to regard his father, "so you guys hunt down Freiza and his family often?"

Shrugging, Bardock spoke frankly, "Its the only form of entertainment we have other than trying to scare the crap out of King Vegeta and his men. While they still consider us outcasts, they pretty much believe we're the heralding Saiyan deities of the Underworld. Its kinda hilarious seeing him get on his knees every time he sees us, especially after I tried to warn them..."

"Huh, is it that boring here?" Goku asked with a sympathetic stare, crossing his arms in thought.

"We're in Hell, Kakarot. They don't exactly set up amusement parks or sport events down here to keep our minds occupied," Bardock waved his hand in emphasis, huffing with irritation, "instead, that blasted Yemma drops us in here and expects us to play by his pathetic guidelines, enforced by pitiful excuses of prison guards. Instead, we get policed by the Grand Kai's champions, and they most often than not walk away creating far more damage than the rest of the occupants down here do!"

"Gee, sounds awful," Goku frowned, feeling bad that his family, among the majority of his race, and even Freiza's family have no form of outlet to keep them from causing trouble. In fact, it seemed like his family did more help than harm than the rest of the residents of Hell.

Then, an epiphany struck Goku's mind, like a light bulb igniting that hasn't been touched in ages.

Fist-palming in emphasis, Goku's eyes went wide and a bright smile crossed his face, as he spoke aloud, "Perfect!"

"Perfect?!" Bardock and Hanassia spoke in unison, twitching their brows and cocking their heads to the side in emphasis of their mutual confusion.

Waving his right hand's forefinger in teasing reprimand, Goku tutted with his tongue, "Ah ah ah ah, its a secret. You'll just have to wait and see later."

"Oh, alright," Hanassia looked slightly downcast, almost getting her hopes up for something different to occur.

Then, a chorus of stomach rumbles shook the mountain, and every member of Goku's family, including himself, opened their eyes wide at the resulting trembling the campsite underwent.

"Hahaha! I guess the loud stomach runs in the family!" Goku laughed as he rubbed his gut with his left hand as he smiled widely, earning a few chuckles from his parents, while Raditz just scowled.

* * *

Pikkon stood amidst ruined landscape. His handiwork had always left things crisp and barren in the aftermath, though he wished he didn't have to employ it so often. He had to step in between a pack of saurian creatures intent on goading the Saiyan patrols outside their territory to launch a full scale attack upon them.

Instead, they had Pikkon's wrath descend upon them in a force of wind and searing flames. They barely lasted a minute against the experienced and powerful warrior of Other World, heralding champion of the West Quadrant.

His amphibious irises scanned the wake of many golden halos hovering in which they supported the sole link for the destroyed bodies of the souls of those who resided within Other World. They were pulsing and shining with a golden hue, indicating the work it was going through on reanimating the physical constructs for the bodiless souls to be reborn once again.

As he turned around, he heard a gasp from underneath a slab of rock, as one of the saurians reached out a scaled arm in growling protest, "Why...why do you deprive...us...of our...fun?"

"The Grand Kai sees your unruly acts of violence a mark of your unrepentant attitude, as beings who've been condemned alongside you," Pikkon spoke in a level, dispassionate tone as his eyes turned to side glance the sniveling creature, barely worth noting of as a real threat, "antagonizing such a large territory to open fire in Hell is an act of executive authority to use _unpleasant_ force. You left me with no choice."

"Why does the Grand Kai care what happens down here?! Why does King Yemma care what happens down here?!" The Saurian threw the slab off, showing one of his arms having been completely cooked down to the bone, with the rest of his skin charred and barely recognizable, save for his oval shaped head and protruding, growling jaw, "you expect us to go quietly when we've done nothing but follow our instincts?! The Kais! The Grand Kai! BA! They're all fat and lazy, they do nothing but send minions to squander their prisoners' fun and entertainment, if it isn't within their definition of enjoyment!"

Pikkon didn't move nor did he respond. He knew this method of containment was not a permanent solution. He even had to rely on other more self-obligated groups, such as the Super Saiyans, to mediate the rif-raff and take their personal scores out on the rest, keeping them from all causing havoc needlessly.

Still, this was a question that had been asked over and over again, and he never bothered to bring it up with the Grand Kai. Why should he? What right did he have to question the motives of a deity?

The idleness within Pikkon's stance, however, caused the Saurian to ignite with emerald energy and roar with rage, "ANSWER ME, GRAND KAI BI-!"

"Don't raise your voice to me," Pikkon's body briefly lit up with flames, sending a blazing Kiai that knocked the Saurian onto his back, as well as scattered the dozens of golden halos humming within their vicinity, "it makes me feel doing something to you..._unpleasant_."

Within the sound of the Saurian's body cracking, he knew the creature would soon be reborn along with the rest of the bretheren who had been incinerated and crushed by Pikkon's might.

"_That's mighty fine work you dun, Pikkon, my man_," the voice of the Grand Kai complimented within the back of Pikkon's mind, causing the warrior of Spirit World to be still and silent, awaiting further commands from the mightiest of Kais, "I think you discouraged any intolerable behavior in Hell for now. The Saiyans are keeping to themselves and don't seem to be plotting anything, so I think that solves our border dispute."

"_As you wish, Grand Kai_," Pikkon thought back, as he propelled himself into the air and took off at breath-taking speeds, back to the Grand Kai's planet. After a brief few moments of flight, Pikkon, however had a query for the Grand Kai for once, "_what about the Saiyan warrior?_"

"_Oh, Goku? Interested in ma newest hopeful in becoming ma student_?" The Grand Kai chuckled in a humored tone.

"_I felt his presence take off less than a minute after I went to deal with the disputes. I thought I felt his presence cut off when the Cold Family was suppressed by the renegade Super Saiyan family_," Pikkon noted astutely, bluntly ignoring the remark by the Grand Kai.

"Oh? That's just Goku having a family reunion. Pay no mind about that. He'll come back around when he's done visiting," The Grand Kai spoke in a dismissive tone.

"_F-Family reunion_?" Pikkon widened his eyes, disbelieving that the newest Saiyan, one of pure heart and mind, could be related to a family of infamous acts of cruelty and death from their past lives.

Then again, it made sense to Pikkon, that would explain why Goku had so much power that he was able to sense. It could explain why he's known as the heralding champion of Earth and most of the North Quadrant, having been witnessed in being responsible for defeating Freiza and killing Cooler.

"I see," Pikkon spoke aloud in a stoic tone as his body rocketed up, escaping the world of Hell and Heaven, heading straight towards Other Space to the Grand Kai's planet, "so that's how you are hiding so much power, Goku. You are the son of Bardock and Hanassia, the strongest of the Saiyan race. I wonder what other surprises you'll reveal to me and the others, here in Other World..."

* * *

"Mmmm, that was goooooooood!~" Goku spoke with a satisfied smile on his face, rubbing his comically bloated stomach as he sat around a campfire, still holding a spit of a massive yet unidentifiable piece of meat that Hanassia had prepared for the four Saiyans.

"Ah, you get your eating habits from me, I see," Bardock chuckled, lightly patting his own bloated stomach as he looked over to see Raditz and Hanassia doing the same, "you always make the best, Hanassia."

"Bardock, your ceaseless flattering won't get you thirds," Hanassia spoke dryly as she smirked, knowing her husband's intentions all too well.

Bardock hung his head dramatically, mumbling, "Just another one?"

"No," Hanassia spoke flatly, dropping the smirk as she snarled at Raditz leaning over to grab the leftover barbecue, "hands off, or no hands at all, Raditz!"

"Fine!" Raditz raised his hands up before crossing them over his shoulder, pointing his head up in the other direction in a pouting mood.

As a series of sighs broke out over the crackling campfire, Goku couldn't feel more at home. More or less. As good of a cook as his mother was, he still missed the quality meals his wife made him, and the laughter of his son to make him feel like a real father. He almost felt like a kid again, without either of the people most dear in his life to keep him company.

With a forlorn look drawing upon his face, Hanassia was the first to break the silence, inquiring pointedly, "Something on your mind, son?"

"Hm?" Goku looked up, seeing the sincerely compassionate eyes of his mother gazing back at him. Shrugging, he couldn't help but feel obligated to answer honestly, "I...I have a wife and kid back where I lived. Chi-Chi and Gohan. They made me feel at home and gave me a purpose to fight as hard as I did. I placed the Earth in my son's hands, and now...I just regret not watching him from the sidelines, rather than not see it at all."

An awkward silence dragged on, and at first, no one knew what to say. Being caring was not most of their strong suits, and it created a deafening absence of sound other than the crackling of the fire before them.

Bardock, however, stared at his son long and hard, noting the distinct features that made him look so much like him, rather than Raditz looking like his mother. He couldn't help but ask one question that plagued his mind, "Kakarot...how did you achieve the legendary form of Super Saiyan?"

"Hm? Oh, that!" Goku spoke excitedly, remembering the first time he was engulfed in the righteous fire of his own anger. Donning a golden aura, locks of blazing hair, and piercing green eyes, he embodied vengeance and battle in that very moment he lost something important to him, taken so callously right before his eyes, "well, I actually fought Freiza, believe it or not, but I wasn't doing so well. He kept hurting my friends, and actually killed one of them right before my eyes, laughing as he did so. I just got, so mad that my mind went blank and I just accepted my instinctive rage that I was so trained to not give into. After that, no matter how hard Freiza tried, he couldn't match me, and I overpowered him down to the last speck of energy he had left."

"Huh, well isn't that something," Bardock spoke with a whistle of admiration. He turned over to Raditz, snickering out, "hey Raditz! You should take notes from your little brother! Apparently he didn't have to **die once **in order to get his power, didn't he?"

"Bah! There's always more than one path to get to the goal, father! He just got lucky, that's all!" Raditz insisted with a snarl, but hung his head in aftermath, feeling so humiliated that it was his own tail-less, Earth-loving little brother that beat Freiza, and not him.

"You certainly take after your father, that's for sure," Hanassia spoke with a smile, nodding to Bardock's spot next to Goku's left, "the moment Freiza popped here in Hell, Bardock flew into a rage, shouting his name over and over. At first, Freiza wasn't amused in the slightest, but Bardock nearly boiled over the flames of Hell when he ascended. It didn't take long, cause it was only the first minute of seeing his pale face before he started laying out the pain. Let's just say there is a reason why he fears the Saiyan race now, even if he's among the dead."

"Wow!" Goku gaped at the story, looking over at his dad, whom crossed his arms cockily, "you ascended just by seeing him? What did he do to you to make you so mad?"

"Besides killing me, Hanassia, and the entire population of Planet Vegeta?" Bardock asked incredulously, before glaring at the fire, he verbally recalled what was a waking nightmare he had to relieve every time he closed his eyes, "He tasked Dodoria, one of his personal bodyguards, to take out my entire squad while I was separated from them as I was being healed from out last mission. By the time I got there, I was too late, and my best friend, Tora, died in my arms!"

Much to Goku's surprise, as well as a sudden wave of fear from Raditz and shock from Hanassia, Bardock's body suddenly blazed to life. Just speaking of his tale had released his potent anger, sending a wafting wave of golden energy out of his body as he transformed, looking nigh identical to Goku's own Super Saiyan form, minus the tail and scar his father retained.

"After all the loyalty we pledged to that tyrant, he paid us back in blood! And for what?! On the fear of a whimsical tale we told our children about the legendary Super Saiyan?! He feared us, and he slaughtered my best friend, my squad, my wife, and my whole race! Growling out, his body pulsated with vibrant pulses, electricity spasm around him as his teeth ground out, his power growing out of control, increasing pass the point of which even Goku had felt possible, "DAMN HIM! DAMN YOU, FREIZAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

"_T-This is-?!_" Goku gasped aloud as the wave of intense energy erupted from Bardock's being as he yelled out with nothing but passionate rage, blowing out the fire, and shaking the heavily reinforced cubes nearby. This billowing, hot wind sent Goku, Hanassia, and Raditz's hair flourishing wildly in response to being so close to the ecstatically angry Saiyan, "_is his energy...stronger than even what Gohan produced?!_"

"**Bardock**!" Hanassia shouted, her teeth ground against each other as she spoke with a commanding tone to her husband, "Calm. DOWN!"

Bardock's eyes began to be filled with clarity, and his voice began to dampen in volume, as well as his aura. The sheer force from his wife's voice, and the recollection of what transpired if he refused to adhere to her demands, had driven the sudden anger from his mind and allowed him control over his body once more.

Soon his body de-powered and his voice filled with nothing but laughter, sounding almost like Vegeta would when he was pleased with something.

"And then, you beat him," Bardock spoke with finality, his onyx eyes filled with nothing but pride in Goku, as he stepped forth and grasped his shoulder, "you stopped Freiza, toppled his control over the galaxy, and sent his brother not too long after to join him. My son, you truly are the redeeming light of our race."

"Ah, uh, thanks, dad," Goku awkwardly came out, laughing nervously as he overcame the violent display of power that came from his Saiyan father. None-the-less, the Earth-adopted son of Bardock returned the gesture as he grasped his father's opposing shoulder with his own hand, nodding back with pride of his own in him, "I'm glad...to know that even in Hell, there's an ounce of goodness in people like you."

"Heh," Bardock grinned wryly, releasing his son from his grasp as he crossed his shoulders, "when you have nothing but eternity to contemplate your past actions, you wonder if all the decisions in life were really worth this eternal stay in such a boring hole? I guess I regret many actions, but I never regretted meeting your mother," turning his face to regard her, he began to say, "and having you was the best thing I...uh...uh..."

"You jackass!" Hanassia growled out, as her glare petrified Goku and his father, her aura being one of psychological terror than literal energy. By the time she threw her fist towards Bardock's jaw, it was already too late for him to evade.

**WHAM!** With a deafening boom echoing the campsite, Bardock was seen comically flinging across the mountain and hurtling into the cube next to him with a resounding crash. Bardock groaned as he saw stars in his vision, and didn't feel too obligated to get back up.

"You were telling a story and you lost it?! Dammit, Bardock! You have to learn to control yourself when you talk about Freiza!" Hanassia yelled back, raising a vein-pulsating fist in the air as her eyes blankly glared towards Bardock's direction.

"Owwwwww," Bardock moaned from within, earning a few chuckles from Raditz, albeit kept them to himself, less to earn her scorn upon his hide as well.

Goku couldn't help but laugh nervously at the spectacle unfolding before him. Inwardly, he felt it was good to know that his father, even during his last moments alive, knew of the terrible injustices that Freiza committed, and felt sympathetic for his plight in trying to take the fight to the evil Frost Demon.

Then, a thought just occurred to him, making him nearly jump out of his skin.

"Yikes! I spent way too much time here!" Goku stood up and looked to the sky. Tapping his forehead with his forefingers, he waved back at his family, "sorry guys, but I got to run! I promise I'll come and visit you soon! Later!"

"Kakarot?" Hanassia stopped her comical antics long enough to see Goku say goodbye, wave to them, and then disappear without a trace. This made her and Raditz, both of which witnessed the Instant-Transmission technique with perplexed looks on their faces, "that's odd...where did he disappear to?"

* * *

"Go fish!" King Kai spoke triumphantly, as he sat on the ground patiently, waiting for his disciple's return.

West Kai on the other hand looked anything but patient. His sour demeanor hadn't changed, despite the Grand Kai's insistence, as he had to be next to the one Kai he loathed the most. He could stand the others, but the North Kai, the "King" of the Kais, he couldn't absolutely stand at all.

Grand Kai however, wore an expectant grin as he looked at his cards, "Better ready yourself, my fella Kais! We're about to get a visitor in a flash!"

"I know," West Kai spoke with a wry grin, already feeling Pikkon fly towards their direction, "Pikkon is already done with his errands, I see..."

King Kai, however, looked up from his cards, suddenly realizing the literal meaning behind the Grand Kai's words, "Oh no-!"

SSSSSSSSSSHFT! With a sudden materialization, courteous of the Instant Transmission technique, Goku appeared directly in front of King Kai, West Kai, and Grand Kai. The sudden entrance caused all but the Grand Kai to flop on their backs with the sudden arrival, leaving only the senior to grin expectantly at Goku's return.

"Welcome back, Goku! I trust that you took care of things down there?" Grand Kai asked with suspiciously knowing tone.

"Darn it, Goku! Stop scaring me like that!" King Kai wheezed, as the West Kai did the same, as he had never seen such a instantaneous movement preformed in front of him before. Well, instead of King Kai, that is...

Goku, however, barely noticed King Kai's protests or the Grand Kai's tone. Shrugging it off with a lopsided smile on his face as he crossed his arms in thought, "Yeah, it didn't really last very long. I barely did anything. It was actually my family that took care of Cold, Freiza, and Cooler. They didn't stand a chance at all!"

"Hmmm, I see. That Bardock and his family do make a good clean-up team, I do say so," The Grand Kai nodded with a satisfied grin on his face, "now let me finish up this game with my fellow Kais before I give you and Pikkon another thing that needs to be fixed-"

"Well, actually I was wondering about something," Goku interrupted, causing the other Kais to sweat bullets at Goku's blatant audacity, but continued speaking regardless, "well, I noticed that a lot of the guys in Hell don't really have much to do. I was thinking that if we gave them like an event to look forward to, they would be less willing to fight each other and make a mess as often as they do!"

"Hmmm," the Grand Kai stroked his beard, putting down his cards as he turned his spry looking form around to face Goku fully. As he stroked his beard, he nodded, "that does make sense. Is there something in mind you'd like for us to do for them? A puppet show? Maybe fireworks?"

"Actually," Goku chuckled at the ideas Grand Kai teased about, before raising a finger up and a fire light behind his eyes, "I was thinking we should have the first Other World Tournament, and invite anybody who's willing from Hell, to participate!"

This time, both of the Kais had their mouths held agape at the mentioning of such a thing. Invite the very entities that have been imprisoned unto Eternal Damnation to participate in a friendly Tournament against pure-hearted and just beings?!

"G-Goku, you can't be serious!" King Kai stammered out, waving his arms in protest, "these guys were put in Hell for a reason! This could get real ugly, REAL fast if we have all the beings they loathe on the side of good, next to the beings who we all don't very much like next to them! The damage would be catastrophic!"

"But King Kai, damage in Other World doesn't stay for long," Goku waved a hand to Grand Kai with reference, "Grand Kai said it himself, that nothing stays destroyed long in anything residing within Other Space."

"Goku, that's a stupid reason to cause mayhem. You may not mind, but I definitely don't enjoy the idea of dying repetitively as you do," King Kai spoke flatly.

"F-For once you have a point I can agree on!" West Kai nodded nervously, as he saw the Grand Kai still pondering the thought, showing no signs of rejecting it, "l-look! We don't have to do this! There are very powerful beings down in Hell I'd very much not like seeing all get together! King Kai might be dead, but I don't have a particular liking to that idea myself!"

"Hey!" King Kai yelled in resentment, but was quickly cut off by Grand Kai's following words.

"Hmm, that sounds like a mighty fine idea," the Grand Kai spoke with an enlightened tone, acting as if this was the first time he ever heard the idea, ignoring the collective pleas of both Kais, "maybe we could even spice up the deal? Maybe promise to train any warrior of good, while any warrior from evil can get a new chance to live among the living again? Yeah, yeah that sounds just perfect!"

"Oh dear Popo! We're doomed!" King Kai wailed in agony at the idea.

However, another voice broke the symphony of wails and inspired tones, with a smooth, diabolical one.

"Oh it isn't **perfect**," the voice of Cell spoke aloud, as he shimmered directly before the collaborated. His muscular, composited body stood crossed before the Kais and Goku, a mischievious light shining behind his scarlet irises. With nothing different other than the glowing halo floating precariously above his head crests, it appeared Cell was anything but reformed, "not unless the **Perfect Being** is involved in the Tournament."

"No, I was wrong before," King Kai spoke as a hoard of sweat poured down his scalp, despite his tone being dry, "**now **we are doomed."

"C-Cell!" Goku glared at the monster whom robbed him of his life and tried to annihilate his whole planet. If it wasn't for the fact he was in front of his master and the Grand Kai, he would've struck without hesitation. Now, with him here, he didn't know what to expect, "how did you get here?!"

"Instant Transmission," Cell chuckled, tapping his left temple in emphasis, cocking his head at the Saiyan warrior cockily, "I had finally perfected your best technique when my cells regenerated from my, unsuccessful suicide attempt. I'm even stronger than I was during our fight, though unfortunately not strong enough to prevent my death," waving his hands in either direction, he flexed his arms in sync as he glared at Goku coldly with a malicious smile on his face, "however, now that I am dead, I'm really starting to miss my body. This one is just an _effigy _of the perfection I had gained through fighting and deceiving you fools of Earth. But, since I _heard_ correctly, Mr. Grand Kai here clearly said it would be fun to _spice things up by giving a chance of a resident of Hell to live again_, then why wouldn't I be encouraged to participate?"

"Sounds like you have a reason to participate in the Tournament then?" Goku relaxed his muscles, realizing that Cell just came to gloat rather than threaten. He should've known he was listening in on their conversation, with his Namekian cells bolstering his hearing to pick up conversations planets away.

"Precisely," Cell grinned toothily, crossing his arms as he looked over at the Grand Kai, speaking with a charming tone, "if you would, _Master Kai_, I would like to make one suggestion for this event. Give everyone who wants to participate one standard Earth year to prepare for the Other World Tournament. This way, even the likes of Goku can find a way to reach my level," chuckling, he added in finality, "as well as myself to find a way to bolster my powers even further."

"Hmmmm," the Grand Kai stroked his beard and bowed his head, having been totally relaxed and calm, despite the sudden arrival of Cell. When he raised his head, he retained the same contented smile as he always did, "that sounds reasonable. Some of ya Hell boys have been slackin', so this will be their break to try and raise the bar for themselves. Afta all, this IS their only chance for them to get another chance at life, right?"

"You are indeed too kind, Master Kai," Cell chuckled darkly, looking over at King Kai and the West Kai, inquiring aloud in a threatening tone, "are their any objections, lesser Kais?"

"N-No problems!" King Kai shook his head as he raised his hands up in protest.

The West Kai could barely breathe being around something so evil, he couldn't work up his own words to force his real thoughts to the surface, and he knew the Grand Kai would disapprove it. Slumping, he felt useless as his associate did.

"Good," Cell nodded with a satisfied smile, half-heartedly saluting with his forefingers at the Grand Kai before locking his eyes on Goku, "just so you know, Goku, by the time I win this Tournament, I promise this: The Earth will be nothing but ashes after I am through with it!"

Goku growled audibly, never having once felt so much animosity towards another entity since Freiza. Cell had been given opportunity after opportunity to redeem himself, and he clung to his own selfish, misbegotten ways. He was evil incarnate, no question about it.

TAC! He was about to raise a fist towards him, when another familiar figure tapped his shoes lightly on the ground, directly behind Cell. His turban's cloth flourished around in sync with his exotic attire, as he glared at Cell's back, having suppressed his power up until now, to get close to the monster himself.

"You're trespassing on sacred ground, Hell-spawn," Pikkon spoke in a stoic, course tone as he awaited Cell to turn around, "please leave at once."

"Oh?" Cell became amused, turning around to see the warrior up close himself. He had been momentarily shocked he didn't hear or rather sense the ethereal champion's approach. Having been occupied with his own conversation with the Kais and Goku, he blamed himself for his own carelessness.

Looking at Pikkon up and down, it appeared he had a staunch stance, albeit calmer and more composed than Goku's. A man of justice, if he ever saw one, that resembled a lot like Piccolo when he first encountered him. Only seconds into seeing this strange alien and he was already irritated of seeing his staunch expression of disapproval and condescension visibly hardened upon his amphibious visage.

Smiling a dark smile of rebellion, Cell crossed his arms stubbornly over his chest as he arched his right brow with curiosity, "And if I should refuse?"

"I'll resort to using _unpleasant_ force upon your person," Pikkon glared daggers at him, but his tone never wavered and he never made a single move to indicate his malevolence towards the Bio-Android.

"I'd like to see you try," Cell goaded openly, pulling his arms back as he let loose a stream of electrified energy from his body, with a tell-tale golden aura surrounding his green-black camo hide.

Pikkon closed his eyes, sighing audibly with disappointment, "You are just like the rest."

"What are you say-IIIIIIIING?!" Cell asked once, before finding his chest smashed inwards by a direct punch. Finding no air to reach his lungs, Cell gargled as he hunched over from the severity of the blow. He hadn't felt this kind of pain since Vegeta had dealt that very same blow, in the exact same spot.

"I tell people, I don't like engaging in _unpleasant_ business," Pikkon spoke in a dry, stoic tone as he retrieved his fist from the indented chest cavity produced upon Cell's torso, before turning around and slamming a spinning kick to Cell's temple, sending him soaring across the horizon of Grand Kai's planet, "and yet, they insist on it."

Found his head spinning, and his vision shifting from sheer white to total darkness within a matter of seconds as his body pinwheeled in the air, as his skull had indented into a sensitive part of his brain.

"_How do I find myself...being beaten...by such powerful...warriors...so frequently?!_" Cell thought with self-reprimand before he passed into unconsciousness, his body grinding across the green hill before smashing into a large hillside with a thunder clapping collision that obliterated it into dirt clods.

"W-Wow!" Goku's eyes widened, having sensed the enormous Ki rise from Pikkon's being before he initiated the powerful blows on Cell's person. It had been precise and quick, with Pikkon showing expertise in combat way beyond what he'd expect from most martial artists he met. Not only that, but the power that surged to the surface was as strong as Gohan's as well!

"_Geeze, how many people in Other World are stronger than me? I guess its a good thing Cell came up with the idea to train for a year, otherwise that would be me if I faced Pikkon right off the bat_," Goku thought nervously with relief, as he saw Pikkon shimmer out of sight before reappearing before Cell's unconscious frame, picking it up before hauling it over his shoulder.

With a slight turn of his head to confirm the Grand Kai's orders, the old and wise Kai nodded with affirmation, allowing Pikkon to take off with a blast of energy in his wake, on his way back to Hell to deposit Cell's unconscious frame there.

"That's my Pikkon!" The West Kai crowed, laughing aloud with relief, as he felt totally defenseless without his trained disciple at his side, "so much for your champion of Earth, huh King Kai?!"

"Shut up! Goku was just trying to be peaceful, and Cell was about to leave after all until your temperamental disciple came along!" King Kai barked back comically at his fellow Kai, ensuing another dust storm of conflict to arise.

"So, that fella was the monster who put you here, eh?" Grand Kai spoke pointedly to Goku with a solemn tone, lowering it so that the other two bickering Kais couldn't here.

"Yeah," Goku sighed in relief, looking over at the esteemed warrior Kai, smiling sadly, "he threatened the things precious to me, and I couldn't let him have his way. I sacrificed myself and my mentor, unfortunately, in order to delay the Earth's destruction. Its only a miracle that my friends found a way to overcome his evil schemes and send him here after me."

"Well, if he does become trouble, I'll let you know," the Grand Kai nodded with understanding, giving Goku a wink at the end behind his dark shades, "but until then, you better get in better shape. Use this year to prepare for this Tournament that will shed some light on those poor, unfortunate souls residing in Hell, and give something for the good guys to aspire to do as well. Who knows, this could be a lot of fun, hahaha!"

Goku could only agree with a bright smile, saluting in a goofy manner as he agreed with the Grand Kai, "Right! That just gives me a year to find a way to surpass my current limitations, and awaken the power within me that Gohan had!"

For once, Goku found something worth training about, besides training with the Grand Kai.

He could only imagine what dangers awaited him and the rest of his friends in Other World, of what will transpire during the Other World Tournament!

* * *

**A/N**: Well, I was feeling a bit lazy, so if anyone asks I just felt like it would be appropriate to stop here before I do a Time-skip from the time they announce this World Tournament, and everybody and their dead mother start training, lol.

Please leave a review and/or comment on the chapter, as well as PM me for suggestions of potential characters I should enter into the Other World Tournament, both from Heaven and Hell, to partake in this Epic upcoming event! ^_^


	3. Back to Training!

**THE OTHER WORLD SAGA**

**Chapter 3 - Back to Training!**

* * *

_Upon the event of the Grand Kai's official announcement to both the residents of Heaven and Hell, a believable uproar of excitement swepted across Other World. Soon, the news reached the other Kais, giving them cause to put forth their Galaxy's best contenders up to the challenge, while insisting to all other contestants to train as much as possible within the spare year they were given._

_While normally to anyone in Heaven or Hell, a year would seem to past by rather quickly, leaving some rather disappointed if that's all the time they were given, being more comfortable with the minimum being a decade to half a century. But Grand Kai wouldn't be dissuaded from his decision, thus leaving all of the afterlife's contestants to train for a solid year to improve what they've already been training for the last decades, centuries, or even thousands of years they've been deceased._

_Upon the day that Cell had been fended off by the disciplined and stoic warrior of the West Galaxy, Pikkon, Goku felt more than ever to be determined to overcome the new obstacles set in his path. Not only would the counterpart champion be an opponent of his, but his entire family, including Raditz, felt equally enthralled in the idea of taking part in a tournament rather than spend more days living in boredom and constant battle. _

_Will the twelve months spent in rigorous training be enough for Goku to increase his strength to catch up to the likes of Bardock and Pikkon? Can he compete with the countless warriors from across the spectral afterlife who've spent ten or a hundred lifetimes training for a moment just like this?_

_Only time, can tell..._

* * *

**6 Months after the Cell Games...**

Things around the Grand Kai's planet became even more animated than how King Kai found it upon his arrival three months ago.

Upon the announcement Grand Kai made, many of the more docile champions of different galaxies became suddenly active, as finding something to do gave them a distinct purpose.

Every single disciple or student he had ever had the pleasure of training, or seeing them mature and grow, were all gathered upon the planet's surface. This became problematic, as nearly the entire planetary surface became overpopulated with prospective fighters and noble warriors of various places within Heaven's realm. Complaints and bickering became more and more visible to the Kais, despite their presence, as they couldn't train properly with so many rivals in one location.

However, the Grand Kai had been able to negotiate a time limit of which how many people could train at a specific time on his planet before they had to vacate and train on various other designated training grounds of much more substantially laid out proportions. A total of three hundred fighters could train one week without interruption before they had to wait a month for another week of training on the Grand Kai's planet.

Strangely enough, there was one particular fighter who had been absent from most of the training upon the sacred planet for the past half year. While this bothered King Kai, seeing as he wanted his star pupil to win against his rival Kais' champions and be recognized, despite his untimely demise and his own planet's destruction. No matter what he said, Goku insisted in training in Hell, saying there was more to do and his family offered far more of a challenge than any sparring partner he could find on the Grand Kai's planet.

So, for the past six months, King Kai had hardly seen the Saiyan hero more than a few minutes to drop by and grab food to bring to his family.

Now gathered with his fellow Kais, the King Kai did his best to remain civil, by accepting the North Kai's offering of playing cards with them. In this way, King Kai hoped to take his mind off of Goku's assumed defeat in the Tournament in less than a year's time, and also scout out to see what champions his fellow Kais had to brag about while taking part in the recreational activities.

Sighing heavily, King Kai sat next to all three of his fellow Kais, as he looked forlorn upon his lap.

"What's the matter, King Kai?" The South Kai, the tallest of the group, as well as the most socially friendly of the four Kais, while sitting, was easily two heads taller than his three smaller comrades. Wearing a similar pair of black-violet trappings as the King Kai, his unique appearance being was his salmon-colored skin, and a pair of white-rimmed sunglasses.

King Kai didn't answer immediately, much to his chagrin, allowing the female East Kai to answer in a readily mocking tone, "Oh please, leave him be, South Kai. He's probably still sulking that he died and lost his precious, puny planet."

"I am NOT sulking!" King Kai snarled at the female Kai. About the same height and rotund shape as King Kai, the just as irritating female Kai of the Eastern Galaxy quadrant, had the same kind of shades as he wore. Only thing peculiar was the Sunday-looking hat covering her blonde wig over her yellow-skin-toned head and thin red lips.

"Oh really?" The West Kai snickered in response, earning another scowl from the esteemed King Kai.

"Yeah, REALLY!" King Kai bit back, just about to throw down his cards, before the South Kai raised his hands up with a smile on his face.

"Calm down everybody! There's no need to pick on our dear old friend like that. After all, we all know if this happened to West Kai, he'd be just as depressed as our friend North Kai is," The South Kai implored, but added a chuckle at the latter part of his statement.

"I wouldn't let something that stupid happen, cause Pikkon is much smarter than that Bell-"

"Cell."

"-Cell guy was!" The West Kai insisted, despite being corrected by his North Kai associate, whom he cast an exasperated glare at him.

"You shouldn't underestimate Cell," King Kai warned with a grave tone in his voice that was all too serious for the other Kais to dismiss. A glistening bead of sweat came down his jawline as he spoke, "his cunning knows no bounds, and he is as evil as beings get. Never have I saw a being with more tenacity to become powerful and announce his domination, than the Herasian Mercenary Overlord, Bojack."

"Ugh," East Kai shivered visibly, squirming on her personal cushion she sat upon over the grass, "that brute had no sense of decency. He just wiped out his whole planet just because they discharged him from their military."

"His grudge wasn't becoming of such an accomplished warrior," the South Kai spoke with resigned sadness, shaking his head, as he remembered witnessing the man's exceedingly grandiose career unfold before him during his time as a young soldier of his home world, "but in the end, his arrogance clouded his mind, and he became a monster."

"I remember his rampage too well," West Kai gulped as he himself remembered the carnage that Bojack unleashed, "he destroyed planet after planet, but not before his hundreds of followers ransacked and pillaged it, laughing as they committed such horrible things upon the populace!"

"It was a good thing we sealed him in that star, in the center of the galaxy," King Kai nodded sagely, raising his hand up in emphasis as he still held his cards with his other, "that is what Cell almost became. If Goku hadn't teleported that Android to my home planet so quickly, no one would have been left to oppose him in the Universe, and we'd have another headache to seal away!"

A tense silence fell among the group, realizing just what had been sacrificed of King Kai personally.

It was true, in the end they all knew there probably wouldn't have been another option. If Cell became as powerful as they remembered Bojack of becoming, they would be placed in another horrible predicament of sealing away another monster. They were lucky to have wiped out as many of the mercenary Herasians as they did, but the last four were as ruthless and powerful as they were next to Bojack. In the end, they had to use wit and cunning to lure Bojack into the heart of a ring of black holes within the center of the galaxy, before forging a special magic seal that created a star that would contain the five of them forever in permanent stasis.

It was then, at that point, that it occurred they might have forgotten something...

"What's with all the long faces over here?" Grand Kai interrupted and derailed all of the Kais' trail of thought, as he walked up to them, dressed in his more formal Kai uniform than his laidback appearance. He did so, only because of the upcoming event approaching ever so closer, and felt the need to be more appropriate as far as attire change was concerned.

"Its nothing, Grand Kai," King Kai spoke immediately, trying to give him the impression they were over their reminiscing, "just remembering how similar Cell was to Bojack was all."

"Hmmm, I see," the Grand Kai stroked his beard as he grinned, with an almost knowing twinkle hidden behind his sunglasses, "its just a good thing that the heroes both here and in the living world, are much stronger than them, yes?"

"Yeah," King Kai spoke with a smile on his face as he looked back at his cards, ready to continue his game once more, "it doesn't matter if Goku or Gohan weren't the ones to beat Cell. The fact that Cell's untimely return changed a person like Vegeta that much, perhaps there's hope that the proud Saiyan prince will become an even greater hero than I would have thought of him possibly becoming..."

After a few seconds of silence ensued, the Grand Kai snapped his fingers.

"Oh, I almost forgot! Just to give you a heads up, I think you might want to let Goku know that a Tournament goin' down in a few days on Earth. Something called the Intergalactic Tournament, where a bigwig rich guy is throwing down a flamboyantly planet-wide broadcast to show off the world's best fighters. Considering your students and that veggie guy are probably goin' to be a part of it, you might want to let Goku know that we will set up a connection here at my place. This will get everyone, psyched for the Tournament, ya know?"

"Sounds like a great idea!" King Kai spoke in an enthusiastic tone, smiling widely at the idea, and knowing it would be a good opportunity to get Goku away from Hell for awhile and visit. It had been irritatingly boring and frustrating keeping company with his own kind!

Tossing his cards aside, King Kai immediately began searching for Goku. It didn't take him long, as his energy had been very prominent, along with his condemned family members in the middle of No Man's Land.

And it wasn't the sheer output of energy that he felt, but it was how much damage was being dealt to the overall landscape.

Sweating nervously, he didn't realize Goku had been training _this_ hard, even though he had checked up on him every once in awhile, but this was ridiculous!

Calling out to Goku with telepathy, he hesitantly inquired, "Hey, Goku, you got a few seconds to talk?"

* * *

Goku's body burned.

And it wasn't just from being at his maximum power he could push his Super Saiyan form, as the golden fiery aura still lapped around him comfortably, as peaceful as he remembered it when he took his first steps out of the Hyperbolic Time Chamber.

It was from Hell's atmosphere. Something about it kept anyone who exerted any form of effort would immediately evaporate the sweat formed upon their skin. If he hadn't been using his Super Saiyan form, he would be visibly steaming. The gravity was also greater than Earth, about 20x, if Goku felt it correctly, much higher than King Kai's planet and the chamber. Coupled with the bad weather and density, Hell actually made a new challenging training ground than he ever had come to practice upon.

Turning back to the task at hand, Goku looked over at Bardock's stoic form, hovering a good ten meters off the ground, with his arms over his armored torso. His stern, penetrative stare was something the black sheep of the family had gotten used to. It was a sign of analysis, a period of time spent to visibly deduce the progression of Goku's growth since his training started six months ago. Not only had he been ruthless, but he had little patience for any sign of breaks that Goku would ask for, something he himself felt was rare for him to ask.

The devastation around them was proof enough. Wide craters ranging from two meters to thirty meters, detailed the smoldering holes blown from clashing fists and discharged energy blasts. What used to be a barren wasteland was turned to a barren wasteland on fire. In a way, it suited Hell better, considering how boring it looked from the distance.

"You done yet, Kakarot?!" Bardock asked in a sharp tone from above, rolling his neck side to side as he stared dryly at him, "I'm almost done warming up, if you are."

"H-H-Hold on a second!" Goku became alarmed, his eyes comically enlarging, remembering whenever his father decided to get serious, "we've been going at this for a whole month straight, and I'm starving! Can we have a break-?"

"Stop whining!" Bardock shouted while sporting an angry vein on his forehead.

"I-I'm not whining, but I can't fight without ea-" Goku tried to finish, but found his dad's form rocketing towards him faster than he was capable of evading. Worn down, even in his Super Saiyan form, was on the point of dropping from the third one-month-straight fight session with his father.

**KRAK-BOOM!** Then, the punch came, and it cracked the fabric of the air of Hell like a thunderclap, striking Goku's jaw painfully, before sending him streaking across the horizon, smashing through a plateau into the distance that had miraculously remained standing from their elongated battlefield.

"Ow-ow-ow-ow!" Goku rubbed his face, realizing a bit of his father's true power had leaked out into that punch, "that really hurt!"

"Hm, your neck didn't snap this time?" Bardock asked with intrigue leaking in his voice as he immediately shimmered out of thin air, showing his speed much exceeded Goku's at this time.

"If you didn't hit so hard, my head wouldn't fly off!" Goku snapped back with pouted look on his face as he rubbed the angry bruise on his face.

"Stop crying over wounds as trivial as that, Kakarot!" Bardock rolled his eyes in exasperation, crossing his arms with a serious expression over his face, "hunger, fatigue, exhaustion, and death are trivial things when in Hell. Here, its a constant battle for survival, and the only way for you to hone your Saiyan power to its utmost limits, is to make sure you can fight at your peak for elongated periods of time, no matter what. Even if your opponent is stronger than you, at least prove that you can outlast him by ten fold!"

"Yeah, yeah, but even you get hungry, don't you?" Goku scratched the back of his head as he smiled sheepishly.

Glaring, Bardock huffed, "I guess we can stop by home and see what Hanassia's worked up this time. After all, we finished the margin of one month of sparring without stopping today, so you earned your break!"

"FINALLY!" Goku's energy seemed to rejuvenate instantly, as the prospect of food to gorge down was all the incentive he needed. Rubbing his gut, he heard a loud growl come forth that shook the air with as much ferocity as his dad's last punch, "hahaha, oops! I guess not eating for a month can do that to my stomach!"

Bardock's stomach followed also, causing his father to sweat nervously as he turned his head, sighing, "Let's just get back to eat already..."

Before taking two steps, Goku finally heard a voice in his head.

"_Goku! I swear to Gamikai, if you block me out I'm going to sit on you!_" King Kai's irritated voice could be heard over the edges of Goku's mind.

"_Oh, hey King Kai! How's it going?_" Goku replied cheerfully within his thoughts, following his father as they took to the skies and rapidly sped towards the designated home.

"_How long have you been training like that?! What the Heck, it looks like you flattened the landscape for miles, and what you hadn't flattened, you dented it with craters everywhere!_" King Kai asked incredulously, clearly seeing the damage that Bardock and Goku had done to the No-Man's Land territory within the endless landscape of Hell.

"_Oh, c'mon King Kai, its not like we hurt anybody!_" Goku responded casually, a smile spreading across his face as he recalled nobody interrupting his dad's various intense training sessions with himself.

"_So I noticed. Pikkon hasn't needed to straighten out any of Hell's denizens recently thanks to the announcement of the Tournament, and of course, the ridiculous prize per chance if any of them win!_" King Kai complained, obvious nervousness leaked into his voice.

"_Hey, at least its a prize that everyone can use,_" Goku shrugged nonchalantly.

"_Not the point! You do realize Cell is among the candidates for Hell, right?!_" King Kai asked incredulously.

"_Of course! That's what will make it all the more interesting,_" Goku smirked confidently.

"_Goku! He's much, much stronger than when you or Gohan fought him! It was a miracle that Vegeta managed to get the strength to destroy him once and for all!_" King Kai implored.

"_That's what will make this Tournament even better!_" Goku said back enthusiastically.

"_What? How?!_" King Kai asked with distress in his tone.

"_Cell and I didn't get a chance to fight a fair match. I had to abide by his rules, and he never played fair. With the Grand Kai running things, it will be more fun than dangerous to have a nice battle with him. And besides,_" smacking his hand into his fist, Goku narrowed his eyes seriously, "_I owe him for all the dirty tricks he pulled on Earth. This will give me all the encouragement I need to take part in the Tournament. I'll show him how far I've come, and in the end, I'll show him that no matter how hard he tries, it will always be in vain. As long as he takes the path of evil, that is..._"

"_As long as you're confident, Goku, I guess there's no harm in giving it your all,_" King Kai spoke back in resignation, though relief did fill his voice this time around. He was more than reassured that Goku would find a way to keep bad guys from getting their prize. Then, he shook his head, remembering why he "called" in the first place, "_Goku, there was something I wanted to tell you! Three days from now Earth is having a Tournament that will have a global broadcast. The Grand Kai is going to set up a special TV of his for us to watch on his planet._"

"_That's sounds like fun! I'll make sure to be there!_" Goku responded with a thumb's up, just as the mountain home of his family's came into view, "_I gotta go. Nice talking to you King Kai!_"

"_Wait! Goku, can you please swing by sooner than that?!_" King Kai wailed, speaking in a comically pleading tone, "_I can't stand being alone with the other Kais! I need you to keep me preoccupied from their presence, if only for a couple days!_"

"_Well, gosh King Kai, I didn't know you felt so lonely,_" Goku scratched back of his head as he rapidly approached his family's makeshift home, "_tell you what. I'll leave in a couple of hours and check up on you, how's that?_"

"_The sooner, the better, Goku. The sooner, the better..._" King Kai spoke exasperatedly with resignation, as he cut his telepathic connection with his favorite student.

* * *

"Hm?" Hanassia, the long spiky black haired mother of Raditz and Goku, sat on a carved out stone cube used as a chair at the moment, looked up in the direction of the two familiar energy signatures, "they're headed back, are they?"

Sighing, she stood up and ran her hair through her raven bangs, smiling at the two golden streaks heading her way. Reaching towards a shard of glass she kept in a satchel, tied to her lower back, hidden from view mostly from her own long black hair, she produced her makeshift mirror to see how she looked.

While she didn't care much for combing most of her frayed mane, her bangs and the top of her head, looked adequately enough well enough for a female Saiyan. Her violet colored eyes peered at the reflection, noting her smooth fair skin tone had not changed, even after her time spent in Hell. Her attire, for the most part, had also remained unchanged. A single spiked shoulder pad colored in dark green sat upon her right shoulder, just above her upper arms bordering her black sleeveless armor plating wrapped around her torso, with a hint of ribbed-pattern dark green over her abdomen area. With a pair of crimson forearm-length sleeves fastened onto her arms and legs, she wore a standard pair of war-grade dark green boots, matching the dark green pointed piece of armor lying over her left leg, directly overlaying her red skirt that reaches her thighs.

"_I guess Bardock did pick'em good, huh?_" Hanassia briefly thought as she smirked with pride. As she put away the shard of glass into her satchel, the two male Saiyans touched down onto the center of the campsite, "welcome home, boys. Was your session more productive than the last two?"

After de-powering, Bardock smiled with assurance to his wife, thumbing over to the panting Goku, "That kid's got stamina. Just like the last time, he didn't start feeling the burn until the end of the 30 days of non-stop combat."

"Well, he obviously takes that from me," Hanassia chuckled mischievously as she splayed her hand over her chest, "obviously you must be going too soft on him if its taking him that long to get worn out."

"If Kakarot trained with you, he'd run away after the first three days of withstanding your _torture_," Bardock spoke bluntly, as a bead of knowing sweat crawled down his scalp in comical emphasis.

"He's tougher than Raditz was when he showed up," Hanassia waved a hand in emphasis of Goku's direction, "it would've been good for him to go through the same meth-"

"Hanassia, that kind of training only works on someone with very mediocre to low potential, like Raditz, not our Kakarot! He IS the one who killed Freiza and Cooler, after all," Bardock interrupted, trying to prove his point with a thumb towards his chest, "my training method is better. Sparring with a Super Saiyan this way, tempers his control of Ki and builds up his endurance. Being brutalized and subjected to being terrorized every waking moment of the day won't make Kakarot a better warrior-"

"I know that, Bardock! I just want to see what his limits are-!" Hanassia interrupted Bardock in return, only to have Goku raise a hand in interception.

"Uh, mom...dad...can you guys have this talk when I'm not standing here," Goku asked sheepishly, as his stomach then let out a deafening roar from within his gut, followed up with Bardock's own stomach meeting the same volume as Goku's, "and...after we eat something?"

When Hanassia's eyes bulged comically to note the two's conditions, she sighed with resignation as she hung her head, "You two are so alike, I swear," she grumbled as she turned on her heels, squinting her eyes, to notice a violet-white dot heading their way, "I sent Raditz to pick up some grub not too long ago. Luckily, I asked him to bring plenty, as you two could have showed up at any time..."

"Oh great! I can't wait to eat!" Goku shouted excitedly, as he'd be able to eat with his family once again.

* * *

**Quiet.**

It was unnervingly quiet, as far as activity went for in Hell.

Pikkon observed with sharp eyes far above the intoxicating orange miasma of the red-black rocky landscape of the damned world where all condemned go to serve an eternal penance for their crimes and misbegotten deeds in life. Creatures of all shapes and sizes lived within the endless horizon, having a constant battle of both survival and adaption to the harsh environment provided to them by the Kais. They would do anything to stir up trouble and cause chaos, in a order-driven universe.

And yet, since six months have passed, Pikkon had rarely had to step down onto the decrepit earth far below upon the Grand Kai's orders. In fact, the only thing that transpired of noteworthy occurrence was every other month, King Kai's prized pupil and the infamous renegade Saiyan, Bardock, duking it out across No Man's Land. Because there was no crime in wrecking horizon of Hell in the spirit of training, Pikkon felt no obligation or compulsion to step in between the two passionately sparring father and son.

During this time, Pikkon had been observing this Goku's progression within the last half year. While he didn't see any remarkable increase in his power, he did notice the rapidly ascending rate of his stamina, and his control over his energy being much greater than when he started. It was incredible to the righteous warrior, just how fast this Saiyan could go within such a short amount of time of training and how long he was able to keep up with the infamous renegade Saiyan father of his.

However, it was unfortunate if that wasn't the sole reason why Pikkon monitored Hell.

Ever since depositing Cell's unconscious frame back onto some rock in No Man's Land, the creature had practically concealed itself within the densely populated and endless horizon of sentient beings. He had asked the Grand Kai on several occasions if Cell had escaped or went someplace else, but the elder superior shook his head and he remained exactly within the netherworld where he was sentenced to.

So why...did he feel as if the creature had been watching him?

With a startling blink of realization, Pikkon narrowed his eyes as he tightened his relaxed hands into fists, speaking out in a stoic, threatening tone, "I can feel your malevolence, foul creature. Show yourself!"

"That didn't take too long," Cell chuckled, as his body seemed to appear out of the blue, as his skin began to release the refracting light waves created by his energy he used to sneak up on the green-skinned warrior, who bested him.

Pikkon turned to face the hovering Bio-Android, whom was only a spare ten meters in distance from him. He projected a demanding gleam in his eyes, as he glared with indignation at the entity who had the audacity to hide in plain view in front of such a prestigious warrior. And he already despised the very look Cell gave him when observing him in such a crude, analytic way.

"What do you want, Cell?" Pikkon spoke harshly, his ire present and his tone showing little patience to deal with the being he had already dispatched. With Bardock's family aside, he loathed each and every occupant of Hell, as they were all beings who showed no qualms of committing the most heinous of acts and reveled in their misbegotten evil. This creature ebbed the very essence of darkness that Pikkon resented being in close proximity to.

"Oh don't act so defensive," Cell spoke in a charming tone, waving his hand dismissively, as he smiled at the personal lapdog of the Grand Kai, "I merely wanted to know a little more about the man who defeated me with such ease. Truly, striking me with such immense force to the point of incapacitating me is no small feat, for any warrior of any caliber, to commit upon my perfect body."

"We have nothing to discuss," Pikkon snarled lowly, his eyes glaring daggers at the green-black camo-colored Android, "leave my presence, or I'll have to do something unpleasant to that perfect body of yours again."

"My-my...quite hostile aren't you?" Cell laughed with humor, enjoying seeing the amphibious alien warrior burn up seeing him, "but I already know what's been on your mind, Pikkon was it?"

"What would that be?" Pikkon asked dryly.

"You're wondering what I would do next, right? After all, I did the one thing, of which I gathered, has never happened in Other World. A condemned denizen of Hell has stepped foot on sacred ground, and the Grand Kai's planet no less," Cell waved his arms openly in boasting, as his smile spread with an evil glint in his eyes, "you see, I have a special technique that allows me to transmit to any point of my choosing. I am the first being that has been damned that can virtually be anywhere and everywhere he wants. You may currently be my better in point of raw power, but know that I will find a way to improve myself, ascend, and become stronger than you. After all, I am the Perfect Being, and soon, no one will be my equal! Not even the Grand Kai!"

"Perfect? You must have breached a new level of conceit back when you were alive," Pikkon spoke incredulously, his glare becoming ice cold in retrospect to the fiery determined stare of Cell's, "there is no such thing as perfect, reserved to mere mortals such as you or I. That right is reserved for the Kais, and anything you do to spread blasphemy to their order, their doctrine, and their ways, I'll make sure you will suffer for it."

Lowering his arms, Cell could only chuckle, as he closed his eyes in thought, "If you say only gods can be known as perfect. Well, if I win the Tournament and get my body back, I will become a god in the universe of the living. A god of death, that is!"

With a swift shimmering movement, Cell disappeared as swiftly as he appeared.

The only thing that left Pikkon a bitter reminder of the Bio-Android's presence, was a hollow, dark laugh that echoed the red skies of Hell.

* * *

"Mmmmmm, good grub," Goku said as he rubbed his comically stuffed belly once again, delighted to have a taste of his mom's cooking again. While he longed for Chi-Chi's smorgasbord sized meals, they did more than enough to satiate his hunger. It was ironic that even in death, Goku would still be plagued by his unsatiable appetite, thanks to his ridiculously high metabolism.

"Yeah...urrrp...I'm good," Bardock rubbed his own enlarged belly with a content grin on his face, identical to that of his youngest son's.

"Yuuuup...mmm...I make good barbecue, that's for sure," Hanassia agreed with a cheeky grin, rubbing her own identically comical-induced rotund belly, in emphasis of her equally full status.

"This is a nice pace for a change," Raditz sighed with equal satisfaction, rubbing his own gut with contentment from the feast that his mother dished out, with large bones and charred meat-covered sticks to leave further evidence of their fantastic meal.

It was at this time, that Goku looked over at Raditz, whom eye-balled him up as well. As the two looked at each other with mixed-filled expressions, they turned to see that their parents were still docile from the meal. Now was their chance!

Scooting hind quarters across the dirt so they could be within whispering proximity of each other, Raditz was the first to speak, "So? Spill it, did Bardock take you to train in No-Man's Land again?"

"Sure did," Goku kept his voice lowered, knowing how his parents' reacted when talking about their differing styles of extreme training, "we sparred non-stop for thirty days. Every time I tried to take a break, dad would clobber me in the gut or in the face, hard enough to kill me. When I would wake up, we would resume right where we started. That's basically what we did, in Super Saiyan form, for the last month."

"That's father for you," Raditz looked over at Bardock's now snoring form, having fallen asleep on a full stomach, "he never changes his tactics once he finds a good method. Guess that's why mom never trains with him. He's too stubborn to change his methods to meet her strict layout..."

"What did mom do to you this time?" Goku whispered aghast, wondering what new horrors Hanassia had unleashed on his poor older brother.

Scowling, Raditz glared at Goku before dredging up the horrible experience verbally, "It was...horrible. This last month I would oscillate from balancing my body on my finger over a mountain's peak, and preform one hundred push-ups with each digit...to preforming a timed race with weights on my back of over ten one-ton packs over my legs, arms, and back. Things like that changed from week to week, and every time I failed at something, she kicked my ass into the earth, literally, and would leave me with my legs sticking out like some deranged vegetable to be plucked out to start over what I messed up."

"Gee, that sounds harsh," Goku winced as he nervously glanced at his mother's direction. He breathed a sigh of relief, to see she also fell asleep on a full stomach, joining her husband with a crescendo of obnoxiously loud snores, "huh. To think we're going to switch training partners this month with our parents...I'm actually a little afraid what mom's got planned for me this time around!"

"You deserve it, Kakarot," Raditz gleamed evilly at his little brother, holding up a throbbing vein clenched fist in emphasis as he smiled toothily, "that's what you get for being such a soft, tail-less freak and dishonoring our race! The only reason I don't kill you repeatedly in your sleep is that you were the one who sent Freiza and his family down here for my own entertainment! So don't you forget that!"

"Okay-okay!" Goku raised his hands in a pleading manner, as sheepish chuckles came out of his mouth as nervous sweat crawled down his scalp, "you don't need to be so angry at me. After all, it was you who came to my home and asked me to destroy the planet I grew up on. You also kidnapped my son, so it wasn't like I didn't have cause to fight you..."

"You let that damn Namekian kill us both! You had no sense of self preservation, and you just stood there like an idiot!" Raditz growled out, his eyes becoming bloodshot, as his body transforms within a flash of golden light, entering into the Super Saiyan form within an instant.

"YOU were trying to kill MY SON!" Goku comically growled back, slamming his forehead against Raditz, causing them to lock heads as he himself transformed into a Super Saiyan through a flash of golden light.

"I WISH I DID! HE WOULDN'T SHUT THE HELL UP!" Raditz snarled back with a evil gleam in his eyes.

"I GUESS I'M NOT SORRY THAT WE BOTH DIED THEN!" Goku yelled back.

"**HEY!**"

**WHAM!** "Enough from you two!" Hanassia's eyes bulged comically as her own Super Saiyan form burst to life, as she slammed both of her fists into the ghastly afraid faces of both of her sons. The sonic boom that was produced, sent Bardock off of his feet and sent him sprawling head over heels, yelling out in alarm. While the two sons flew down into the landscape off of the mountain top, a mushroom cloud of dust and dirt was produced from the impact, even after Hanassia's heaving frame growled at the rude awakening she received.

"Stupid brats! I was trying to take a freaking nap! SHOW SOME RESPECT!" She yelled out to the children she _Falcon Punched_ across the landscape, now both head-planted into the soil with their legs twitching, dangling up like some demented human vegetables.

"By the name of Galick, please control yourself, Hanassia," Bardock dryly spoke as he raised himself from his back-ended position onto his haunches, "your yelling woke me up more rudely than Raditz and Kakarot's chit-chat-"

**WHAM!** "YOU SHUT YOUR FACE!" Hanassia slammed her foot directly into the dryly staring face of Bardock, indenting him in the middle of the mountain campsite.

It was just another typical day at the Bardock Family.

* * *

**A half hour later...**

"Goku, do I want to know why your face is swelled up like a balloon?" King Kai asked incredulously, sweat dropping from his face comically as he observed a large swollen bruise project from the right side of Goku's face.

"Ahaha, ow-ow-ow, my mom punched me for waking her up...again...haha, ow-ow-ow," Goku intermittently winced as he laughed sheepishly at the visage he presented so poorly of himself.

Granted, if he hadn't went along with his brother's infuriating sick game of yelling back at him, he wouldn't have to wait twenty minutes to be pulled out of the earth and remember his promise to King Kai, using Instant Transmission to go straight there. Unfortunately, he forgot about the condition his face was in when he arrived...

"Well, I'm just glad to see you again, Goku," King Kai smiled gratefully, placing his arms behind him as he walked towards the front lawn of the Grand Kai's estate, seeing hundreds of disciples, champions, and prodigious warriors all diligently trying to hone their abilities in their own unique way and prosper from it, "its been busy here, but there's not much we can do for them other than give them some hints, materialize weights and dummies for them to pummel. Really, its very boring without you around."

"Huh, I can't imagine why," Goku placed his arms behind his head nonchalantly as he blinked curiously at the series of various aliens, humans, and humanoid appearing creatures all diligently training in front of the mansion and across the planet's surface, "why don't you commission a battle royale, get their blood pumping that way?"

"Goku! Senseless fighting may work for Saiyans, but not every gets a Zenkai or improve after getting the crap beaten out of them!" King Kai protested, insisting on defusing further ideas that Goku had to present, hoping the Grand Kai wouldn't accept them.

"Ahhh, fine," Goku said with pouted lips, frowning comically that his idea was shot down so readily.

"Yo, Goku, my man!" Grand Kai called out to him from within the estate, still dressed in his Grand Kai garbs but talking in his usual upbeat tone. As he floated out to meet the Saiyan, he looked up at the swollen cheek of the prestiged disciple of King Kai with a chuckle, "did ya get clocked by ya momma?"

"Yeaaaaah," Goku scratched his head sheepishly, chuckling and wincing simultaneously in embarrassment, "you saw, huh?"

"Boy, I don't know how anyone couldn't FEEL the scorn your woman who put you into the world of life ragin' upon your mug, hahahaha!" The Grand Kai laughed aloud in amusement, holding his gut as Goku and King Kai sweated nervously in front of the superior fighter and Kai laugh at the Saiyan's misfortune.

As the Grand Kai stopped his laughter, he cleared his throat and raised his fist up to Goku, "Now, nice to see ya after so long, Goku!"

"Yeah!" Goku spoke aloud with a smile, his fist slamming into the Grand Kai's, sending a blasting wind from the friction the two powerful fists as they met, "nice to be back after so long!"

"Man, that is the spirit!" The Grand Kai smiled with enthusiasm, approving of Goku's rejuvenated greeting.

Internally, Grand Kai recognized the strength Goku had achieved in a short amount of time. He still couldn't believe the staggering increase of Goku's strength. He had never seen any Saiyan up until now that had the sheer tenacity and natural excellence in accomplishing miracles within martial arts and acquiring more and more power.

"Yeah, sorry about not being here when you wanted me to," Goku smiled, wincing a little less as the swollen cheek receded a little over time, allowing him to be more truly inspired to be sincere about his happiness of seeing the elder Kai again, "I just couldn't imagine a better place to be, than with my family I haven't seen in my whole life!"

"There is no better place to be, than wit ya family, this is true," the Grand Kai nodded with acknowledgement. Then a knowing twinkle shined behind the eyes of the Grand Kai as he cleared his throat, "speakin' of ya fam, I have somebody who's been dyin', ehehe, to see you again. Isn't that right," the Grand Kai turned his head over his shoulder, beckoning out a familiar old man to come out of the entrance of the Grand Kai's house, "Gohan?"

"G-Grandpa?" Goku's blood flooded his head at the name of his adopted grandfather being used. Sure enough, emerging at a casual pace, was none other than the white mustached, short, yet endearing form of his human adopted parent. A warm smile creased over his wrinkled face, still wearing the same old clothing that he remembered him wearing upon his wedding day with Chi-Chi.

"Hello, Goku," the old, soft tone projected happily and with pride in his voice, as he set his beady dark eyes at his surrogate grandson, "its been awhile, hasn't it?"

"GRANDPA!" Goku leaped, albeit comically, to tackle hug his grandfather, accidentally squashing him into the entrance. Had the old man not been prepared, his back might have given out from the sudden larger man glomping his person.

"Oh my, hahahahaha!" Grandpa Gohan laughed jubilantly, warmly hugging the much taller and older Goku, though retained the same visage as he did when he was a mere teenager, "while I noticed a few things changed about you, you're still the same as I remembered you on your wedding. Its just a shame that you came in the way you did, and you didn't get to die of old age with your family at your side."

"I have no regrets, doing what I had to, Grandpa," Goku said with affirmation, kneeling before the man as he looked him in the eyes, saying in serious tone, "the only regrets I have is not being a better father, and a better husband, when I had the opportunity to. These last six months...have shown me what I have lacked in a relationship to Chi-Chi and Gohan."

"Its true, you should be more present with your family, as duty of a father to mentor and raise his son, protect and love his wife, and die for them. But we don't always get what we want in life," Grandpa Gohan spoke sagely, before winking at the Saiyan man-child, "however, I don't think you had such a bad life. Now, why don't you tell me all about the last years of your life and humor your old grandpa what exploits you have traversed during your lifetime. I'm sure they must have been exciting enough, to have caused the death of a poor Kai..."

"Ha-ha-ha, very funny," King Kai laughed dryly, though with good humor within the background of the reunion between grandfather and grandson.

"Sure," Goku sat upon his haunches immediately, crossing his legs in front of him, as he began to tell his tale, "well, it all really started when my brother, Raditz came to Earth..."

* * *

**A/N**: _And there you go! _

_While I had initially planned to make this a month-by-month chapter, I thought I could go in more detail with other various training exercises later, after the upcoming and well known event that is taking place within the Vegeta Chronicles. Also, if people desire it, I also will try to instill a little backstory here in the Other World Saga about Bojack, and how the Kais faired and managed to seal him away within the star that was vaguely mentioned by King Kai. _

_Six months have passed, and after grueling training sessions between the every-other-month plan between Hanassia and Bardock, Raditz and Goku have become increasingly stronger than they have before. But will this be enough? Can their strength increase even more within the next half year, to make up the significant power gap between themselves, the known and unknown stronger competitors? What will Cell plot to make himself even stronger than he is now?_

_Tune in next time on the next amazing chapter of The Other World Saga!_


	4. Revenge of the Punished!

**THE OTHER WORLD SAGA**

* * *

**Chapter 4 - Revenge of the Punished!**

* * *

**A few hours later...**

"...and that's how I ended up here, hehe," Goku finished his prolonged story of his life since Chi-Chi's marriage, the last time his adopted Grandfather had the pleasure of seeing him.

If one would think that Goku was flippant for details, they would be sorely mistaken. Throughout the past hours of detailed recollection of his life since that time, he hadn't skipped much, and tried to comically act out certain scenes of which he felt were of great importance to help portray it visually. From the time of Raditz's arrival, his struggle with the Saiyan prince, to his battles against Freiza and his empire, along with the entire endeavor with the Androids and Cell, Goku finished to the part where he caused the sacrificial deaths of himself and King Kai.

"Hmmmm, doesn't seem you're using your head as much as you should, Goku," Grandpa Gohan spoke sagely, but also held a grin of knowing humor, "not like that's ever been your strong suit mind you, but you seem to be lacking rational thought throughout most of your exploits."

"Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha! Well, if you have any advice on what I should have done better at, I'm all ears, Grandpa," Goku laughed sheepishly, nervous beads of sweat perforated his brows, as he physically admitted his errors in judgement throughout his tale.

"Well for one, you don't seem to look for opportunities to end threats before they become a problem for everybody. The way you described on how you handled Freiza was reckless, even for you. You risked your life to satiate your lust for battle, and then you risked your friends' safety by not using the power you had to end his impending threat," Grandpa Gohan spoke held a bit of reprimand, but enough to chuckle, knowing full well how he expected Goku to have acted and acted accordingly, just as he did when he was a child.

"Yeah, uh, I guess I wasn't thinking that clearly, hehe!" Goku scratched his chin, acknowledging that it could have been handled better. In his head, he relied mostly on instinct and his gut to get through tough spots. It worked...most of the time, and things usually turned out well. But as Grandpa Gohan spoke, it became apparent he didn't really rely on his own intelligence that he withheld.

"You also didn't take your medicine, despite you clearly knowing the symptoms of the foretold disease your friend Trunks. Had it not been for Vegeta's interference, you most likely would have died," Grandpa Gohan shrugged his shoulders knowingly.

"I-I guess I was so caught up with training, I didn't think of me getting sick was a problem. I thought it was just heartburn from all the bacon I had last night, but I guess it was worse than that," Goku nervously chuckled, remembering that close call. He barely recovered from his illness and was haunted by nightmares of the Androids ransacking his home, hurting his family and friends, with him being helpless to stop their imminent assassination on his own life.

"Why didn't you and Gohan go help Piccolo when the Androids were being targeted by Cell? If you have transported the Androids to the Lookout, the creature wouldn't have been able to find them, and you would have stalled the monster from evolving further," Goku's foster grandparent pointed out intuitively.

Slumping his shoulders, Goku asked in a weary tone, "Anything else, Grandpa?"

"Why didn't you move Cell's exploding body somewhere more barren? Surely you could have went to any planet within the galaxy that you could sense, couldn't you?" The elderly man inquired, wearing a truly baffled expression upon his wrinkly features.

"I have to lock onto a familiar energy signature. Unless I haven't been there before, its almost impossible for me to use Instant Transmission unless I recognize the proximate energy that I'm selecting," Goku explained calmly, raising his gaze back to his grandfather's, using his right hand for emphasis. A sheepish smile donned on him, but he no longer felt as bad as he did when being reprimanded for obvious mistakes he made. Now he, he felt, he had a legitimate reason, "King Kai's planet is the most recognizable signature, and I've gone back and forth from there before. It seemed like the most logical choice to make, under the circumstances, that is, hehehehe!"

"Well, I don't think you're off that bad, Goku," Son Gohan spoke with a smile, letting the issues of his adopted grandson's past, just being thankful he could see him again, "it sounded like you lived a good life, and you fought your hardest for those you cared about. The only thing I think that should have been done differently, would be taking more charge of your family, and being a part of their lives. You have a tendency for wandering off and going on an adventure on your own. The days of childhood are over, I'm afraid to say. If you continue to be on your own, you will soon find yourself very much alone. Take it from this old man's word, that if you don't have family, then all of your ambitions, all of your dreams, will mean nothing if you do not carry on that legacy with love and pride in your loved ones."

Goku bowed his head, a sense of guilt for once, clouded his mind. He remembered what Master Roshi spoke of, about his ability to have turned into an Oozaru when his eyes met the full moon's rays. At the time, he had dismissed the initial dawning of what had happened to his adopted grandfather, during the one night he couldn't' remember what he had done when the full moon was out. It had...haunted him...for years within his dreams, until his mind completely forgot about it, as other crises took precedence.

But now...he felt he owed his kind, gentle grandfather.

"Grandpa...about what happened to you. How you got here...it was, because of-" Goku began to speak, before seeing the elderly man hold a hand up, interrupting Goku's awkward confession, while staring at him knowingly.

"I know what you're going to say, Goku, but I don't think you should apologize for it," smiling, his white mustache curled up as his eyes twinkled with appreciation, "what happened to me, happened for a reason. Whether it was your rampage as a giant ape, it would have been me in bed. My years were few, and I was blessed to have the opportunity in raising you. Never believe that our meeting upon the eve of arriving on Earth was ever an omen to me. It was the best thing that this old man could have asked for."

Goku felt tears well up to his eyes. He wanted to reject what the old man said, and insist on blaming him, but he couldn't. The happiness and sincerity gleaming from the old eyes of the man whom raised him and took care of him at his most vulnerable state. Despite having died, he had also been able to be there for some important moments of his life, including his marriage with Chi-Chi. In the end, this man didn't loathe death but welcomed it.

Reaching out with strong arms, Goku embraced his grandfather, and cried happily over the shorter man's shoulder, "Thank you, Grandpa! Thank you for everything you've done for me!"

"That's fine, Goku, that's fine," the elderly man spoke with a wide smile on his face, patting the back of the larger and much older Goku, "now, why don't we take a break from our chit-chat...and discuss some things after lunch?"

An ominous loud growl echoed in compliance from Goku, causing him to reach back and rub his stomach in acknowledgement, "Yeah! I guess its that time again, isn't it?!"

* * *

Elsewhere, someone else's stomach growled loudly, in compliance with another one.

"Guess its that time again, hm?" Hanassia asked her husband with a cheeky grin, as she rolled the spit over the large fire, of reptilian origin again.

"Didn't we eat, like, five hours ago?" Bardock inquired, even as his tongue licked over his chapped lips, eyeing the smoldering smorgasbord that his wife was cooking.

"Feels like forever, doesn't it?" Hanassia spoke dreamily, as her own eyes widened with delight at how the large lump of skewered meat was turning out.

"Like since we've seen our son?" Bardock inquired off-topically, one brow arching, as he garnered the attention of his mate.

After a minute's pause, Hanassia gave a belated sigh, as she turned to regard Bardock curious eyes, "This about Kakarot, isn't it?"

"It sure isn't Hell about Raditz," Bardock joked with a wry grin, earning a chuckle from his wife.

After spinning the meat a few times, Hanassia gave a backhanded gesture of Ki, snuffing out the flames and allowing the food to settle. Taking a cross-armed stance, she regarded her husband, for a few moments, realizing the uncanny resemblance Kakarot had in comparison to herself and Raditz. The only real thing that separated her husband and her youngest offspring was the defined scar on his lower left jawline.

"What's Kakarot like around you?" Hanassia asked first, "considering besides a few days of rest in between each month, all we do is train with our kid respectively before we trade off."

Chuckling, Bardock rubbed his chin thoughtfully, closing his eyes with reverie as he squatted on a nearby hand-made chair, carved out of obsidian stone, "Well, for one thing he's tenacious. He's got an attitude I only wished Raditz had. Despite his idiotic banter and antics he often makes, I can find a bit of my younger self in him. Even if he whines near the end, I can respect his ability to persevere in the face of overwhelming adversity. Even in the first month, despite how many times he died or fell down, he always found a way to pick himself back up. I guess stubborn would be an understatement to describe his get-go personality."

"Sounds a bit what I expected him to be, away from my oversight," Hanassia smiled with pride as her eyes closed, re-opening them when she described her own time spent with her son, "during his time spent undergoing the most gruesome and painful exercises I could comprehend, never once did he back down. He may have questioned, he may have complained a little, but he never gave up. I'm pretty sure once the Tournament comes around, he'll be able to fight on any battlefield under any scenario laid out before him."

"What exactly HAVE you been doing with Kakarot's training?" Bardock asked with an exaggerated tone. A bead of sweat crawled down his scalp in emphasis of the fear he had for any form of Hanassia's training exercises, "is it the same which you put Raditz through?"

"Exactly. I don't give special privileges to either of my sons, even if they can't pick up the pace," the female Saiyan sternly stared at her male counterpart, shifting her right heel idly as she spoke, "if they can't handle running a hundred laps with the weights I've given them, then they'll just have to keep running until they complete the assignment."

"Hanassia...those weights are over ten tons each," Bardock grimaced, having recalled when he himself tried them out for his own personal training, "you didn't use the armored weight suits, did you?"

Pouting her lips, Hanassia glared back at her scar-faced mate, "And if I did?"

"Hanassia, that's over one hundred tons! Making them run a thousand laps with that kind of pressure is beyond torture!" Bardock spoke aghast, his eyes comically bulging as he shook a fist towards her.

Her only response was a undignified huff, shifting her head to the side and propping her chin to the air, "If they can't handle a little weight plus some ol' fashioned running, they shouldn't do it at all."

"The only physical way for them to run with those on, is to undergo Super Saiyan transformation. Even trained as they are, that's brutal, especially a thousand laps with that on their bodies," Bardock glared at his wife pointedly.

"You're one to talk!" Hanassia glared with blazing eyes of fury, as she pointed her own hand at the squatting veteran Saiyan, "did you even give them a break once? How many times have they died under the stress of fighting toe-to-toe with you for a whole month?!"

"How many times have they died under your training, huh?!" Bardock bit back, standing straight up, his body leaning precariously forward, with both his wife and himself locking foreheads with intense anger.

Then, after nearly an entire minute, a dead silence was brought over them.

Sweat began to bead down both of their foreheads, as they both realized something.

"I-I...uh...lost count," Hanassia admitted first.

"Yeah...me too," Bardock hung his head with shame, realizing he might have killed his sons through the fierce training beyond what he could perceive to be possible.

Breaking the silence, another pair of thunderous growls echoed from the Saiyan couple, drawing their attention away from their discussion.

"I'll serve food then," Hanassia shifted herself briskly to the spit, and immediately began to pull the barbecued meat out, and placing it on rudimentary stone plates, "you should call for Raditz, or else he'll give us an earful about leaving him out of mealtime again."

"Fine," Bardock spoke with a dramatic sigh. Lifting himself into the air, he flooded his lungs and his vocal chords with energy, augmenting them, until he felt he reached the appropriate volume. Rearing his head back, he cupped his hands over his mouth, before his voice boomed out, "RAAAAAAAAAAADIIIIIIIIIIIIIITZ! TIME TO EAT!"

As his voice shook the landscape for miles, and carried on further than that, there was a brief silence. Which extended from seconds into minutes, causing Bardock to furrow his brows with confusion. Cupping his hands again, he roared out, "RAAAAAAAAAAAADIIIIIIIIIIIIIITZ! FOOD IS BEING SERVED! GET OVER HERE NOW!"

Within then next few seconds, a billowing voice responded from the horizon.

"I'M...BUSY!" Raditz's distantly projected voice called out in frustration.

"Busy?" Bardock arched a brow with expected confusion. Looking down to Hanassia, he shrugged his shoulders in emphasis, unsure of what to do.

"Just tell him I'll save him a small portion," Hanassia sighed aloud, irritated that her eldest didn't come as called upon.

"Alright, will do-" Bardock began to say, before something unfolded.

A distant cry could be heard, as Raditz's signature could be felt at the epicenter, projecting a blazing wind of immense force that struck the mountain home Bardock and Hanassia sat upon.

"What is he trying to do?!" Hanassia asked over the billow of fierce wind, flourishing her and her mate's hair wildly, rattling the stone plates that held the gargantuan sized servings. It felt as if a storm was brewing in the distance, with Raditz at its epicenter, with dark clouds forming overhead as lightning cracked and thundered fiercely around him.

"Hm...well what do you know?" Bardock smirked with a hint of pride, crossing his arms as he looked straight into the flowing force of heat and energy whisking past him, "Raditz may have finally mastered it..."

"Mastered what?" Hanassia asked, not knowing exactly what sharp perception her husband had discovered.

"Its nothing," Bardock spoke with a wry grin, shrugging as he turned his back on the distant black storm in the distance, "he'll be along shortly. He's almost done testing out the results..."

"If you say so," Hanassia briefly sighed reluctantly, as she squatted down and began to gorge herself on her own portion, with her husband joining her shortly.

* * *

**KRAK-KOOM!**

**KRAK-KOOM!**

**KRAK-KOOM!**

The air was ripe with violent energy. Even for Hell, the Ki being projected by this particular Super Saiyan, was unusually stifling. Crackling bolts of yellow hued tendrils of energy lashed out at the surrounding durable mineral formations, causing orange-red explosions in their spastic series of projections from Raditz's body. The wind howled and formed an insidious twister of golden flames, igniting the very air as it continued to billow out from Raditz's being.

All the while, his voice screamed out in earnest, with passion and ferocity.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! NRRRRAAAAAAAAAA!" His voice penetrated the air's deafening, thunderous storm raging around the rise of his powerful energy, exuding the golden aura that blazed and crackled around his body with thick jabs of bio-electricity. His teeth ground tightly in between the intense cries from his augmented lungs and vocal chord.

The one thing that changed about him, in particular, was his muscle mass. Already a large proportionately sized Saiyan, his Super Saiyan form had already increase and defined the mass of muscle around his body. As the bio-electricity poured out and discharged from his pores, one thing became apparent: His body just got bigger, and bigger!

Having already mastered the Ascended State nearly three years ago, Raditz had attempted to use the third state of the Super Saiyan's power, and had failed to control its large mass, time and time again. But today, something in his bones and blood told him, that he was going to succeed. If not to keep his parents off his back for being the weakest among them, then to show Kakarot who the REAL strongest Super Saiyan was between the two of them.

"YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" With a final roar, the whites of Raditz's eyes finally reclaimed its color, and his body settled into the largest state the Super Saiyan form could afford; the Ultra State. Balling his fists, he felt audible sparks of energy course in between his knuckles, blasting the air with concussive reflex. Twisting his body around, audible cracks within his body's enhanced state sounded like a cacophony of bodily thunder, from within his massive muscular frame. He noted that he was easily a meter taller, the height ascent properly disposition the majority of his newfound power.

Every contraction, over time, became less and less painful. The abundantly enlarged arms became less heavy, and his speed began to increase each time he assumed this form for longer periods of time. What used to be a burden, like the enormous armor of weights his mother would encumber upon him, his base's forms enhanced stamina and intense bouts with his father in his Ascended Super Saiyan form allowed him to gain the control and flexibility he desired using against swifter enemies. His hair stood up, coursing with intense electrical currents, flowing in the air as if bathed in luminescent transparent water, that waved and crackled with intensity.

"This power...is freaking amazing! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Raditz shouted aloud, laughing with incredible joy as his voice boomed like thunder. Even as the storm itself had softened into an ominous overcast of dark clouds, and the winds ceased blowing, the constant projections of raw bio-electric power from the Ultra-Super Saiyan's body continued to flow abundantly.

To test his power, he raised a fist towards a distant landscape, even farther away from his mountain home but just enough within No Man's Land he wouldn't disrupt the natural balance of neutrality between the Territories.

His fist began to spark, crackling with vibrant white-blue intensity, as he shifted his wrist to face upwards. Then, he raised his two forefingers upwards, sending a critical distortion within Hell's geomagnetic field, creating an Explosive Wave.

That is when everything within the horizon went white.

A deafening white blast engulfed everything within a ten kilometer radius, razing it, incinerating it, before crushing it into the ground as an excess of sheer concussive force blazed forth. A streak of orange-yellow flames billowed out, as a massive mushroom cloud blew forth, striking into the dense black-red atmosphere of Hell overcasting over Raditz's proximity.

Even as the excess force and flames washed over Raditz, the Ultra-Super Saiyan could only feel a tickling sensation at the fraction of power he just discharged. As the smoke would clear, he saw a city sized crater and beyond where he struck a damaging blow to the landscape bordering everyone's favorite neutral ground.

"Kakarot, I don't know about you, but one thing is clear," raising his fist up, before his face, he stared into the blackened sky, clenching it with an audible crack of bio-electrical force, "if we face each other on the ring, six months from now, I can assure you that your victory will be cut short. The only one winning this Tournament, IS ME!"

* * *

A distant rise of enormous power caught the attention of Cell.

As his hovering form peered, the total yield of explosive red-yellow flames unfolded towards the perimeter of his self-proclaimed territory, sending alarmingly destructive concussive waves and fire in his direction. While it wouldn't pose any immediate critical alarm to his person, he'd rather not be needlessly touched by someone else's attack.

Narrowing his eyes, a brief glow of red exuded from his eyes, as he sent out a psychic wave of telekinesis, halting the explosion in its entirety. Appearing to have been frozen in motion, Cell raised a hand out, clenching it tightly with his fist...

**SHOOP-KRAK-KOOM!**...before collapsing the force of kinetic and pyrotechnic energy in on itself, creating a transparent implosion directly within the air, allowing the dust and rocks to settle afterwards.

As his eyes returned to its memorable pair of scarlet irises, he looked at his hand and smiled, clenching and releasing his hand with visible satisfaction.

"I think I have a perfect grasp...of the limits of my powers," he muttered to himself, flexing his camoflauged-muscular arms, punching out a few rapid one-twos, before swinging his body around and did the same with his legs, kicking a number of flurries, "ha! If I have calculated correctly, within a mere six months time, I can now contend with the likes of Vegeta and Gohan, as well as that disgusting Pikkon. I may not have the raw power they possess, but with my vast array of abilities and my intellect, I can outfight anyone in the Tournament. Even that disreputable father and mother of Goku."

As thoughts turned to Goku, Cell allowed himself to lower down onto the red-black mineral with an audible, squeaky clank. Raising right, chalk-white hand to cup his chin, he began to ponder the riddle that was Son Goku. Unlike his lesser counterparts, all of which were pre-programmed to seek out Goku to the ends of the Earth in order to annihilate him, his only goal was to reach his Perfect Form. After that, his only real desire was to test the limits of his capabilities, enjoy them to the fullest, before destroying what planets and life that no longer interested him.

His encounter with Gohan and Vegeta changed that.

Combating Gohan, initially, was an interesting game due to the boy's obvious latent powers. He goaded him, tried to push all of the power he had out, using every tactic of cruelty and evil at his possession in order to further encourage the rage boiling deep within the recesses of the pacifistic shell that covered his Saiyan instincts so well. When he crushed 16's skull, he unexpectedly broke the dam on the young Super Saiyan's emotional psyche, and unleashed the overwhelming storm of power he possessed all along.

Being toyed with was absolutely humiliating. He used every technique, every strategy, and every form of force to overwhelm the boy's lack of experience. But time and again, Gohan's use of the ascended Super Saiyan transformation, was as natural as breathing the air around him. Beaten, bloodied, and on the verge of defeat, he devised a plan to take them all down. He knew the probability of regenerating from the blast was slim to none, but in his daze of desperation, he had no other plan to defeat them all, bar Gohan's current level of strength.

Even as the mighty warrior, just as a child as he knew him to be, gave up, his father came forth. Like an eternal nightmare, the image of Goku transporting him away from ultimate vengeance burned him up, just as the force from within blew him to atoms along with the righteous Super Saiyan. The only boon was that he had survived unharmed, plus gained a significant boost in strength while regaining his prized Perfect Form. It had only been unfortunate he couldn't kill everyone in the blast, and only Goku and his precious Kai went down with him.

It was delicious to have claimed the boy from the future's life, just as it had been the other time within his timeline. His meddling infuriated him, and delayed the inevitable destruction the world had.

Unfortunately, he never had a chance to test his reborn Perfect Form's powers. Vegeta, an obstacle to his goals and desires, arrived with regained fury, crushed him with awakened powers of his own and blasted him into obliteration. Thus he has been sentenced to the godforsaken wasteland of boredom and tedious existence known as Hell. It was unbelievable timing that Goku suggested the Tournament, otherwise he would have decided to cause mayhem across Other Space, destroying every planet he found within his sights until his opposition would end his life, and restart the cycle over again.

The only threats to him, however, were the obvious:

Pikkon, heralding champion of the Western Galaxy and Lap Dog to the Grand Kai himself. His power and technique were definitely at Vegeta's level, and held a bit more poise and control. This was demonstrated in having specifically aimed towards places that would cause his body to react without forcing him to die or use instinctive regeneration to recover. After observing him, however, it was obvious that Pikkon felt content with his current peak of abilities and cared nothing for training daily. It gave him a distinct advantage over him, since that time he sneaked upon him, realizing with great pride he was able to conceal his presence and get so close for so long before being discovered.

Next was Bardock, the father of the miserable Saiyan prodigy, and grandfather to the boy whom humiliated him to begin with. Knowing nothing of his exploits other than what Freiza's DNA allowed him to know, he was the one Saiyan that stood up to the galactic tyrant and failed to destroy him. However, from his gathered intelligence of the happenings in Hell, it appeared that the commando had awakened his true potential upon a happenstance reunion with him in Hell, joined shortly after with his wife, whom was of no concern to himself. His power and battle drive was measured to be equal to Vegeta's, due to the incredible daily training he places him in, and the plethora of experienced battlefields he's endured in the past in life.

Finally, despite being outclassed currently, Son Goku was the last potential opponent whom he measured to be the ire of this upcoming Tournament. He always found a way to impress, to endure, to overcome, and to prevent the victories he sorely deserved in the past. If not by physical intervention, then by merely existing, he had found a way to undermine his plans.

With a dark laugh, Cell generated his aura with a sudden thunderclap of golden energy and bio-electricity. Dancing and waving from his pores, the Bio-Androids spoke in a dark, assured tone to himself, "Goku, you will not be saved by anyone. This Tournament is my key to returning to the world of the living and wiping out those petty creatures you call your friends. Trunks, Piccolo, Krillin, Tien, Yamcha, Gohan...and especially you, Vegeta, will die by my hands!"

* * *

**Three Days Later...**

Within the following three days, Goku only spent an hour or so time with his biological family, and spent the majority of the time with his adopted grandfather. Having learned that he, among all the others gracing the planet's surface deigned as the Grand Kai's, have been granted the privilege of being one of the few pupils to train under the strongest of the Kais. While it only had been for a few months, it had taught him more than he could have dreamed of learning in three of his lifetimes. Since then, he taught Goku a few techniques and methods of mental control to better harness his Saiyan instincts at will, rather than lose himself to it.

When the third day had passed, the Grand Kai announced the broadcast of the so-called _Intergalactic Tournament_ taking place on Earth. With nothing but training consecutively for the past half year at their hardest, it was a nice break from the usual tedious routines. Also, considering the hubbub going around about Goku's presence as one of the only exceptional fighters to grace the Grand Kai's personal attention, as well has having defeated not only the Northern Galaxy's tyrant of Terror, but also the Eastern Galaxy's overseer, Freiza and Cooler.

Rumor of the strength of Earth's champions within the Sol System spread around, from the lowliest of fighters to the champions of planets, each of them were awaiting to see a grandiose battle of the ages take place before them.

Unfortunately, this caused the foreseen overpopulation of Heaven's future contenders to overpopulate the planet, dotting out the grassline

"Alright, alright, no crowding!" West Kai snarled out at a few fighters, waving his arms at the cluster of confusion nearly a dozen fighters were creating.

"You there, I see you! No sitting on your fellow contenders!" East Kai yelled in an aghast tone, as one of the larger fighters had sat on half a dozen fellow entities, nearly squeezing the life out of them.

"No shouting, please keep things pleasant!" South Kai raised his voice, trying to soothe the aggression and anxiety the crowd of combatant-turned-audience as they all struggled to get good spots.

As the volume of the crowd continued to grow, King Kai's brows scrunched together in an angry scowl behind his oval-shaped shades. Veins began to protrude along his skin, and a low growl of irritiation built within his chest. Just as the crowd seemed incapable of being controlled, King Kai saw the Grand Kai coming out of his house, allowing him the absolute authority he needed.

"ALL OF YOU SHUT YOUR TRAPS! THE GRAND KAI IS HERE NOW!" He bellowed out with augmented vocal chords, ringing the air with his irritated and frustrated voice.

All went silent, reverently, as the Grand Kai took the center stage on his front lawn.

On his right was the prestigious Pikkon, Champion of the West Galaxy, whom had served him dutifully and loyally for ages. He stood stoically and without any form of emotion to the current situation. To him, being next to someone as deified, powerful, and wise as the Grand Kai was one of the greatest honors he could acquire in this life within the afterlife.

To Pikkon's right was none other than Son Goku, Champion of the North Galaxy, one of deeds and talents that haven't been witnessed in ages. He smiled widely, and couldn't help but wave at the crowd, catching the eyes of many, as well as his own adopted grandfather sitting near the front of the line. He couldn't feel more excited to see his friends participate in a Tournament, and only hoped that the others were as impressed with their skills as he would be.

Grand Kai's other, left flank had two other fighters of importance.

To the immediate left was a Konatsian with human-looking features, named Rao, Champion of the South Galaxy. What could be seen behind a crimson hood and cloak, over an attire of beige, brown, and black trappings dating to a much more ancient time. He appeared to be a fair skinned alien that had violet locks of hair that appeared almost feathery in texture and appearance, running fully over his head in a Mohawk style. With black eyes, vaguely hidden by the shadow of his hood, the man's visage was as impassive as Pikkon's, but held no pleasure or displeasure for being put on front stage next to the Grand Kai.

And finally, to Rao's left, was an orange haired, blue-skinned Herasian woman named Aosai, Champion of the East Galaxy. With fists on her hips, the Herasian smiled enthusiastically back at the crowd, smirking at the occasional hoots and hollers sent her way. It was natural, as her appearance was appealing to nearly any race, due to the hourglass shape of her body's well toned and femininely desirable visage. A soft complexion of ocean blue skin, as smooth and glistening as marble, with a pair of piercing emerald eyes, only enhancing the visual appeal with a pair of exotic, knife-shaped ears, adorned with golden hooped earrings. Long orange locks, as smooth as silk and with a subtle curling flown throughout, the long mass of hair was raised up into a high-rise ponytail, to allow it to hang loosely down to her bare lower back. Her attire only consisted of a sleeveless black jacket with red trimming, overlaying a red sash that wrapped around her bountifully sized chest, leaving her waistline bare, just above a red kama skirt with black trimming enrapturing over a pair of black leggings and a pair of black boots with golden trimming.

Though the crowd has momentarily lapsed into silence, there was a stream of murmurs of awe, wonder, curiousness, and gossip spreading among the fighters of noble and righteous deeds about the four standing heroes, from all four corners of the Universe.

Before any questions could be uttered forth or between each of the other contestants, the Grand Kai's voice called out to them, "So, who here is anxious for the Other World Tournament?!"

A synchronized follow-up roar from the entire planet shook the air with excitement and anticipation. It felt as if every tongue, every alien, every warrior to have graced the hallowed land of the Grand Kai's domain shouted with blood-pumped enthusiasm.

"Whoo-hoo! Yeah! Hahahahahaha! WHOOOOOOOOH!~" Goku laugh with joy, as he joined in the cheering innocently, earning the precarious side glances of mixed feelings from the other Galactic Champions.

"Alright, y'all! Settle down," the Grand Kai waved his hand, causing everyone to settle back to near silence. He then began to shuffle and reach around his person within the depths of his ceremonial attire, "just...let me...find...my...reeeeeeee...mote, aha! Found it!"

With a profound click, something dramatic happened. The planet shook, causing the less unprepared contestants to fall upon one another, sending a series of comical domino collapses to erupt from the planet's sea of viewers.

What rose from the back of the mansion that the Grand Kai lived was an immense, comically skyscraper sized television. The speakers alone, at regular volume, seem to carry across the entire planet, and echo across Other Space to the denizens of Other World, both of Heaven and Hell. The resolution of the screen was surreal, as if watching real life with even more crystal clear resolution than any known TV back at Earth. That is, for any TV that Goku bothered to watch when he wasn't busy training.

"WHOA!" Goku nearly fell back onto his haunches, his eyes bulging out and looking up at tall screen, "I-ITS HUGE!"

"Yup, was looking for a reason to test this bad boy out, hehe!" The Grand Kai smiled to himself wryly, placing the remote back within his right sleeve.

Just as the screen locked onto what looked like a series of oscillating arenas of obscure appearance, Goku realized that they must be tuned into the Tournament right now. As he leaned back to sit down, he found that a floating chair of alabaster color and crimson cushion greeted him, allowing him to fall back in a relaxed position.

"Now all of you cheerleaders for an audience back there keep quiet and enjoy! I'm getting the feeling this is going to be an _interesting_ Tourney, ya know?!" The Grand Kai barked over his shoulder with a commanding tone, causing all further murmurs to be hushed to whispers. However, a certain knowing within his tone caused the hovering Kais, floating distantly above the crowd, to watch on with curiosity at the massive screen before them.

Did the Grand Kai know something they didn't?

* * *

As the Intergalactic Tournament started its first battle, it was painful and sad to watch. A man, built up on nothing but lies and propaganda from the media was torn down with ease, and Goku cringed as he saw Vegeta expend not one single iota of his energy in beating the esteemed figurehead champion. Even in the end, Goku could make out the threat he made to him in order for him to break, and bring him to utter ruin.

"Wow...that was...uh...disappointing," The Grand Kai muttered aloud, a bead of sweat coming down his brow, as if feeling the eyes of bored viewers behind him glaring daggers at his back. Leaning his hover chair over, he asked Goku with a hushed tone, "is this going to be like the whole Tourney, or am I watching the highlights at the moment?"

"No, of course not! Ahahahahaha!" Goku laughed nervously, rubbing the back of his neck with reflex. Following up with the Grand Kai's return to viewing the gigantic screen, the embarrassed Saiyan facepalmed, "nice going, Vegeta...you could have just let him down easy, but you had to get him to be humiliated, didn't you?"

Pikkon sideglanced him with mild irritation before fixating his eyes back at the screen, hoping to see a much more entertaining battle later on.

Unsurprisingly to Goku, yet to the polar opposite to the other viewers, they did.

The display from the three eyed contestant, Tien Shinhan, displaying the legendary Kaio-ken astounded much of the crowd in awe, with gasps of shock and confusion. It appeared as if the Saiyan prodigy wasn't the only one to have served as a pupil to the legendary King Kai himself. As the battle dragged on, all four Champions watched on with interest.

"Wow! Tien's gotten a long ways in a short amount of time!" Goku smiled with enthusiasm as he saw him trade blows with Trunks, crossing arms with nothing but praise for his old rival, "even at times two, he's able to contend with Trunks pretty well."

"Glad to see King Kai finally taught such a reputable looking man," the Grand Kai smiled with enjoyment, recognizing the crimson aura that pulsed around the muscular human to be unmistakably King Kai's very own technique, "nice job teachin' that spry kid something useful, King Kai."

Appearing overhead, the Kais hovered over the seats, materializing hovering cushions to seat their rotund buttocks. All of them looked on with smiles and surprised expressions, especially the King Kai himself.

"I had never imagined Tien to have reached a level of control and ease with the Kaio-ken that Goku or myself could use. Its as if that is his own primary transformation, just as the Super Saiyan form is to Goku and Vegeta," King Kai thought as he watched on with both awe and pride.

When Tien shouted out a times fifteen multiplication, the power became vividly emblazoned to the point of sending a blinding flash on the screen. From there, Goku and the Kais' eyes widened dramatically, as they saw him overpowering the known warrior prodigy that is Trunks. The force vividly shook through the speakers that the three-eyed martial artist laid upon the Saiyan, before smashing him into the arena once more. When he went in for the kill however, a sudden ignition of golden energy burst from the boy's pores, electrifying and blazing his hair, as he shifted his body around in a perfect 180 degree pivot and dealt a KO punch to Tien's face, sending him spiraling with the shockwave that sent him down to the ocean's surface below.

"Huh, looks likes Trunks improved as well," Goku spoke with approval, still wincing at the punch that was dealt to Tien.

"Explosion Fist!" The Grand Kai uttered dramatically as he made a feigning punch towards the screen, laughing heartily as leaned back in his tall chair, "that was some show! Its just unfortunate that we didn't see more of a proper battle between the Super Saiyan form and the Kaio-ken!"

"Yeah...unfortunate," King Kai sighed, more with relief that his bald-headed disciple hadn't overdone his body like Goku had in the past. Kaio-ken, while compatible with himself more naturally, was still stressful for himself to use and far more for people like Goku. Unlike the Saiyans, his human physiology adapted to self-harm a bit slower than the tailed-donned aliens.

"I-I'm impressed, King Kai!" the South Kai spoke as he adjusted his crooked white shades, his face perspiring with sweat as the East Kai's was, "this is my first time seeing it used on someone other than you. Its truly impressive what kind of power that other disciple has."

"Yeah, it is," the East Kai spoke in concurrence.

"Big deal, its not like that power stopped Freiza," the West Kai snarkily commented offhandedly, visibly putting up a good show of his unimpressed attitude. Little did he know, that his tell was the shaking ankles vibrating underneath the cushion he crossed his legs upon.

"Sure thing, West...sure thing," King Kai snickered, quieting down as the next fight began shortly.

For Goku, it was one of awe and nostalgia. Gohan, his son whom he placed as Earth's strongest hope next to Vegeta, and Piccolo, his enemy turned rival whom progressed to becoming a best friend to him. He trained his son, kept him safe, and was always there for him whenever he wasn't. Seeing the two stare at each other with such respect and understanding...gave Goku a bit of envy within his gut, not being the one to face him on the arena, instead of Piccolo.

And then, they took off.

Even though neither of them were using full strength, their skill and prestige of which they displayed was impressive to say the least. Blow for blow, each one used their own unique abilities to gain an upper hand. It impressed all the agility that the boy used to get around the Namekian, whom also seemed to deal some vicious blows to the young Saiyan-hybrid, but tanked them regardless of his much smaller frame.

When Gohan transformed into a Super Saiyan, Goku took note that Piccolo's stoic face not flinching an inch of what he faced. What was he planning?

Then, the following actions caused the entire audience on Grand Kai's planet to gape with shock.

Piccolo merely dropped his weighted armor, and sent enormous shockwaves within the ocean's surface below. With a follow-up release of energy, having been perpetually sealed by the simple woven garments, Piccolo appeared to be as strong as Gohan currently was. Goku himself, having starting to sift his senses beyond the fabric of Other Space, could actually feel a glimmer of Piccolo's power. It appeared to be as strong as his own!

This caused King Kai's eyes widen comically behind his shades, along with the other three Kais, while the Grand Kai laughed with amusement.

Pikkon, however, felt a bead of sweat crawl down his scalp and his eyes widen with shock. Piccolo, this Namekian, was using the same method as he trained under to gain even higher pinnacles of strength. How strong were these warriors of Earth truly?

As the battle raged, they appeared to be evenly matched. Fist met fist, knee met knee, elbow met elbow, the shockwaves perpetually lighting up the sky with vibrant flashes of thunder and bio-electricity. They moved with speeds only a few in the contenders' midst could track, and with a ferocity few of them could match with such ease.

Then, Piccolo seemed to land a flurry of blows, before heading down towards the ocean's surface, throwing him towards it the surface with incredible strength, making recovery nigh impossible.

Goku, for once, felt himself on the edge of his seat, seeing Gohan falling outside his reach and his senses feeling what lied beyond the TV screen. Gritting his teeth, Goku spoke aloud with a determined tone, "Don't give up, son!"

In that instant, whether by coincidence or not, Gohan spread out his arms and let out a startling battle cry. The volume echoed the cry of the young Super Saiyan warrior, sending audible and memorable pulsing sonic waves to stretch all the way to Other World beyond the Grand Kai's planet. The force caused the water around the artificial construct that was Battle Island to raise the waves high in the air, powered by the sheer power projection, as Gohan put himself to near his maximum potential as a Full-Powered Super Saiyan.

Then, within an instant, Gohan struck Piccolo's chest, like a golden rocket hitting a hillside. The force thrummed across Other Space through the TV's speakers, as the water flew upon Earth's dockside audience, and the screen momentarily blurred from the moisture and energy collection upon it. As it passed on, Gohan carried his unconscious friend across the ramp, with a wide smile on his face.

Sighing with relief, Goku leaned back in his seat, glad to have seen Gohan make it past the fight intact.

"You worried 'ur young'en not make it into the finals, hm?" The Grand Kai asked, not even turning his head from his reclined position to note Goku's relaxing muscles retract from the momentary tension he felt.

"Actually, yeah," Goku scratched his head as he smiled respectfully to the Grand Kai, "my son is about as close to Piccolo as he would be to me. He took care of him when I wasn't there, and they developed a special bond. Sometimes, I fear his inhibitions of hurting his friends would hold him back from winning friendly competitions. Though I'm glad he made it in time..."

"I see you didn't expect your Namekian friend to be so strong," the Grand Kai chuckled with a subtle knowing, causing Goku to furrow his brows in confusion, "I guess you placed a lot of faith in them, and they took your words a lot more to heart than you thought. Friendship like that...is rare to come by, for any being in the Universe. You have a rare talent, Son Goku. Remember your heart and your conviction, and just place commitment and action behind it. You will go to farther heights than even I will when you've reached your peak."

A somber silence eclipsed any reply Goku had, feeling a warm flush of bashfulness work its way onto his cheeks. Even though the Grand Kai wasn't his grandfather, the man acted like another Master Roshi he never had the opportunity of meeting before. He knew so much about him, about went around the galaxy in comparison to his mentor, King Kai, that he felt in awe of his wisdom and captivated by his words. They held weight and meaning. And he knew he would always treasure them.

When the final battle occurred, Goku was intrigued and fascinated. Yamcha and Krillin both showed to be quite advanced for their levels he left them at, with Yamcha even overpowering the expert dwarf. Within a series of dramatic and diverse uses of Ki and martial art techniques, Krillin used the Multi-body technique and landed a triumvirate series of strikes on his person, and hurtling the poor man into the ocean far below.

"Huh, seems they're all that much stronger! I guess," Goku smiled wider, upon noting the fights of what he saw of the people he trusted in keeping the Earth safe in his stead, "I guess I felt worried over nothing then..."

As the broadcast came to an intermission, the Grand Kai snapped his right hand in the air, causing the air to light up with a sky full of snacks, landing gracefully upon the laps of all the onlooking fighters, including the Kais and the four Galactic Champions.

"Everyone snack up," the Grand Kai spoke smiled with a knowing smirk hidden behind his white beard, "I feel like you won't be able to get another chance in the next round..."

* * *

"It seems that those dreaded Super Saiyans and their friends have gotten stronger," King Cold spoke ruefully, as he sat upon a red-black rock he used as a seat, watching on at the static-filled orb. With low quality, and only being sixty inches in diamater it was the only form of entertainment that Hell had been provided accordingly across the various territories. These "Televised-Spheres," however rarely showed anything of interest other than sports events and cooking channels. This time, however, was a bit more intriguing, if not dreadful, for the to-be contestants of Hell.

"You don't need to remind me, I can see it with my own eyes, thank you!" Freiza snarled, as he crossed his arms over his chest, his eyes scrutinizing the chosen broadcast they had left to view, "if nothing else, this is a waste of time. I need to plot a way to get ahead of those other powerhouses if I am to regain my body."

"Ha!" Cooler scoffed behind him, his body leaning against the rock formation enclosing their little circle of hidden red den they've chosen to call their home. He smirked wryly and scrutinized his brother with disdain, "as if you could weasel your way through the Tournament. If you think you actually stand a chance, you have more than that miserable Bardock and his family. Warriors of all forms we have yet still to encounter have been building their strength up for centuries longer than you've retained that ridiculous amount of pitiful power you possess."

"Don't taunt me, Cooler, or I'll crush you!" Freiza lashed out verbally, causing his father to roll his eyes, as he stretched his face with both of his hands.

"What has our family become since death? We're nothing but punching bags for those dreaded Saiyans, and we can't do anything as we please, with the Grand Kai's watchful eyes, as he sends his lap dogs to put us in our place. We have no more power, no more prestige, no wealth. We're as low as the common filth that overpopulate this damned wasteland," Cold lamented, pitying himself and speaking the truth that their family's eternal fate lied.

Cooler, however rolled his eyes at his younger brother's taunt as he did with his father's cowardice and self pity. He knew he was destined for greatness, and to become the strongest among all beings in the Universe. He had nearly won his quest of vengeance against Goku too...until he turned his own power against him, overcoming him to the utter brink of annihilation, plunging him into the boring and tedious life he had to spend with his worthless family.

If only there was a way...if only...

* * *

"Looks like quite the battle," Bardock commented, taking a brief break from whatever exercise he and his wife were undergoing, watching the latest broadcast their T.O. provided. So far, they became intrigued to see Prince Vegeta to have grown so much and become such a strong warrior, with even a Saiyan offspring rivaling his strength.

"Mhm," Hanassia hummed with idle interest, as she cranked yet another spit of barbecued lizard meat, looking over her shoulder as she tried to find a particular Saiyan child of hers around, "have you seen Raditz?"

"Nah, he still hasn't come back from the wastes," Bardock spoke, as he kept his eyes glued to the T.O. until it went into intermission, causing him to lean back on his carved out stone chair with a sigh, "strange how that boy went from whiny and lazy to stubborn and persevering. Maybe some of Kakarot's spirit rubbed off of him?"

"Its about time for that boy, I swear," the female Saiyan rolled her eyes as she kept cranking, reminded of the times she had to spend mothering him in life as a child as well in Hell, "that boy's gutless and cocky nature has always kept him on the bottom. Maybe a little lesson of humility or a drive to become better than our youngest son has struck a nerve in that thick head of his.

"Get that food done quick, I want to eat something while I watch the Semi-Finals," Bardock waved his hand at his wife.

"What was that, Bardock?! I don't think I heard you correctly?!" Hanassia snarled, her eyes glazed with anger and her hair standing up with comical rage directed to her mate.

With a sigh, Bardock spoke in a deliberately exaggerated tone, "May you please serve lunch soon so I may enjoy your wonderful company, Hanassia?"

"No need to be a kiss-ass, but close enough," Hanassia rolled her eyes before smiling, pulling the meat off the fire, defusing the flames promptly as she prepared the food once more.

* * *

"Hah...Hah...Hah...Hah..." Raditz, still clad in his Ultra-Super Saiyan form, felt his body now straining. He wanted to push himself personally to the limits of what he felt he could bear, without the weight of his parents' extreme methods and scrutiny on his backside. So, for the last three days, he decided to push as far as his stamina would last with this improved and mastered form would allow.

He faintly heard the distant cries of a familiar brat, one of which he remembered landing a sore strike in his gut.

"That brat," he snarled out, as he huffed, looking up into the sky. His eyes furrowed and felt his sore, calloused palms clench into fists at the thought of him, being his brother's son.

With an angry twitch of his jaw, he stomped the earth, causing it to indent ten meters into the earth, adding along with the dozens of fissures, trenches, and large craters from his three day long training session.

"Kakarot...I swear...I'm going to beat you!" Raditz growled as he glared at the sky, knowing the whole real reason of this Tournament was for him. It wasn't to gain a body. It was to beat the one weakling that beat him.

Kakarot's defeat at that moment, was the best goal the proud eldest son of Bardock and Hanassia, could wish to achieve.

And he would do so, at any cost!

* * *

"That Gohan still makes good progress," Cell observed from the distance, having ascended up just beneath the red smokey film that represented Hell's atmosphere. For the past three days, he made sure he felt confident that he refined all of his techniques, polished his strategies for every scenario, and prepared every contingency he would concieve for the upcoming the Tournament.

As a reward to himself, he felt obligated to watch the broadcast from afar, using his enhanced hearing and senses to give him the visual picture he needed to view of the Earth's most recent Tournament, "even Piccolo. Trunks, Tien, and even Yamcha and Krillin. So good to see that their experience with my battles against them didn't dull their senses. That's fine."

Smiling darkly, her narrowed his gaze at the horizon, as he chuckled with a knowing of what he would do when he achieved his revival, "After all, they'll need every bit of fight in them in order to hope to survive my wrath!"

* * *

As the fights finally renewed, Goku couldn't wait to see them all in action.

Even though Krillin was by far outclassed by the three other fighters, he hoped that he would do his best, regardless of his odds. Rocking his seat back and forth, like an impatient child, Goku begged for the rockets for which the contestants were confined within, elaborately designed to take them to modified arenas underneath the island's surface to fight "Alien" opponents.

However, when they did reach their destination, Goku could feel real power emanating from them, even through the fabric of Other Space. As they approached his friends and attacked, they were clearly enemies. New ones, with a malicious intent, and for some reason, knew their targets, even calling Gohan out by his own name as his own son. What was going on, he could only wonder.

"O-Oh no!" King Kai's voice trembled behind him, causing the four Galactic Champions to turn, with the exception of the Grand Kai himself, watching with ignorant bliss and enjoyment.

"Why are they there?! Why are they there?!" West Kai cried out in terror, his lone eye blinking with stark terror and fear.

South Kai trembled as he pointed at one of the views that the TV oscillated to, speaking aloud in fearful remembrance, "Its him! He really did come back!"

"How did this happen?!" the East Kai cried out, her hands grasping her rotund face, shaking it with confounded disbelief.

"What are you all talking about?!" Goku looked back at the screen, showing a dark smiling, blue-skinned and orange haired man sitting in front of the face of a large clock tower, "who is he?"

"I don't recognize him, but he wears garments of an outcast and a criminal," Aosai commented, speaking for the first time, and with no smile on her angular face, as her eyes briefly cast disdain at the image of the entity and his cohorts, "clearly they must have been exiled long ago."

"You're not too far off the mark, young lady," the Grand Kai huffed, turning his seat around, just in time as the mug shot of the scar-faced Herasian grinned with maliciousness at the nearest camera within the bowels of Battle Island II, "his name is Bojack _the Unbound_. He was cast out of the Herasian military when they found his methods to be too barbaric and his notable attempts of seizing power from the Royal House. In retaliation, he destroyed the entirety of the Herasian race, save for a couple hundred of his fanatical followers of his. They were called the Galaxy Soldiers, and within Bojack's command, they ransacked the Eastern Galaxy, and prepared to scourge it before heading to the other galaxies. That day...pirates clashed with gods!"

* * *

**Approximately 5 Centuries ago, Outer Rim of the Eastern Galaxy**

The vacuum of space is said to be silent, and that no scream could be heard. Even in the eclipses of stars, the supernovas, and the implosions of moons that occurred within the wake of all victimized systems the Galaxy Soldiers left in their wake, not one cry could be heard within the eternally black canvas of stars that echoed seemingly for eternity.

But one group of noble, proud protectors of the Universe did. They heard all of their voices squandered and silenced, as suddenly as they were raided by the twisted and barbarous Bojack had upon his own planet of Hera.

They were, the Kais!

**BOOM-BOOM-BOOM! **A series of explosions lit up the atmosphere of a dead planet, being one of the last systems to stand between the overlapping space of the Eastern Galaxy and the proximate galaxies beyond. Mountain-sized ships detonated or plummeted from the sky, as four speeding figures, enraptured in white auras of white light moving in to take the pirate fleet off guard and take them head-on.

But five centuries ago, they weren't the rotund and nonchalant deities the Universe's Other Space knows them for. They were powerful, graceful, dexterous, cunning, and most of all, noble.

At the head of the four streaking, shooting star auras, was the Kai of the Northern Galaxy. Wearing the garments fitting his placement, a strong angular jawline, fixated with a pair of ocean blue eyes, matching the blue skin surrounding his muscularly defined form, hidden barely by the rippling black adorned uniform over him, standing at nearly six feet in height. Wearing a gaze of righteous fury and determination, he headed the offensive to Bojack's fleet.

"_Let's go!_" the North Kai ordered telepathically, as they bore upon a squadron of pink aura-enraptured Galaxy Soldiers, "South! Take them head-on!"

"_Understood,_" A deep, respectable tone emitted from North's mind, as a salmon colored, ten foot tall Kai sped forth past his compatriots, just as the twenty-odd Herasians began to open fire a number of Ki blasts at their direction.

Stretching his arms out, the black glaring eyes expanded along with the rest of his body, as the once tall Kai turned into the quarter the size of a moon. This startled the incoming squadron of flying Herasians, forcing them to halt their attack and attempt a retreat, but were too slow. Large hands moved through the empty vacuum unimpeded, as they clapped with immense force, crushing all of the Galaxy Soldiers, while sending a reverberating shockwave towards a number of scrambling fighters heading their way.

Two other squadrons of tear-drop shaped snub fighters and space-suited Herasians flew towards their flanks, attempting to overwhelm them from the other sides.

"_Head for the other cruisers, South! We'll take care of the other squadrons out here!_" North urged as he and his fellow Kais took evasive maneuvers, as the enormous South Kai jettisoned forth, sending crippling punches into the infrastructures of the hardened shells of the outer hulls of mountain-sized battleships, and island-shaped gun-runner ships. They fell one after another, with barely any affect their firepower had upon his durable and massively sized state.

"_East! Deflect their fire and send it towards them!_" North ordered as he zig-zagged across space, leaving a silver trail of light in the wake of the powerful bursts of energy he left behind him.

"_Right away!_" East Kai responded, stopping her soaring pattern to appear in the middle of the vacuum. With a long mass of floating orange, silky hair flourishing down her back and all the way to her angular, hour-glass shaped waistline, the feminine Kai's yellow eyes glowed as she exerted her own unique power. Bending her hands and arms, as the beams of death discharged by Herasian foot soldier or from the moisture-shaped spaceship, they all bent and flowed across the black film of space, coalescing together into a single spherical mass.

Then, they discharged, in a rapid series of prisms, all of them ramming with bone-crushing force into the space-suited Galaxy Soldiers and into the fighters with explosive force, wiping out a great deal of the enemy that had previously had them dodging.

"_Taken them down here!_" East responded, briefly smiling at the blue-skinned experienced North, exchanging it back, before the two joined the West towards the thick of the battle from which South had engaged upon.

As they approached, despite South maintaining the majority of attention, a good dozen capital ships discharged emerald bolts of destructive energy at their positions. Causing them to swerve and maintain a safe distance.

"_By the Supreme, they aren't letting us close enough to aid South!_" West thought in an alarmed tone. His body build similar to North Kai, but a little bit more lithe and shorter, showing a more angled and shrunken jawline, fixed with a pair of hazel eyes.

"_Worrying about it won't solve anything!_" North thought with a berating tone briefly scowling at him which earned one just as nasty in return.

"_Ohohoho! Excuse me Northy! I'm just trying not die out here!_" South flailed his arms in emphasis.

"_Why you-!_" North was about to lash out, but was interrupted by a stream of blaster fire heading their way by the distant and proximate cruisers, capital ships, and gunner-ships.

"_We all know you can't stand each other, but can you please concentrate on the task at hand?!_" East snarled through her thoughts, as she glared heatedly at North and West, causing them to both realign themselves into dodging movements.

East herself waved her hands towards the mass of attacks, telepathically declaring, "_I'm going to disengage their shields, and leave you two an opening to crash through the hulls! Got it?!_"

"_R-Right,_" West meekly nodded.

"_Sorry,_" North bowed his head in sheepish apology.

"_You should not be sorry, but rather ashamed, North,_" As she weaved her hands gracefully and dexterously across the space, the firepower began to be redirected into a single mass of pulsating energy, hovering just next to South's stalwart, enlarged form, "_you were named_ **the King** _by Grand Kai, after all! This is your mission to spearhead, not any of ours._"

"_I understand,_" North nodded, a smile lapsed over his face, as he nodded thankfully at the radiant East, "_thank you._"

"_Don't thank me till this is over, King Kai!_" She thought with pointed emphasis, clasping her hands together as most of the fire had halted momentarily from the enemy, "_we still have an army to crush! Now...MOVE!_"

When her hands waved out, so too did the small planetoid-sized orb of pulsing energy discharge in a vast webbed pattern, striking nearly the entirety of the ships set before them. The impacts shook, vibrated, and electrified the shields that held a transparent defense over the mineral-based hull, before dispersing in a cacophony of bright discharges of lightning and sparks in the midst of the battlefield.

It was then, that the two moved, like streaking comets of deified death towards their enemies.

West began to shimmer out of view, and rapidly appear and disappear across the vast expanse of ships, crashing through them, before exiting them, making the holes just large enough for North's follow-up attacks to their structures. Though he possessed speed, he didn't possess any of South's massive strength or North's raw power.

And that, was when North thought aloud his personally developed technique, "**_Kaio-ken!_**"

**KRAK-KOOM!** With his jet stream of silver, transcendent energy being left in his wake, trading out with a blazing streak of crimson, North moved with even greater speeds before. Piercing the hulls of the pock-marked vessels, like a knife across a body, a series of critical explosions erupted in the wake of the North's rampage, as he followed the West's path, repeatedly ramming his muscular frame through each mineralized ship before blasting his way back out.

North and West finally reunited next to East, both physically sighing from the effort of wreaking so much destruction across such a scale.

What was previously a series of Herasian automated, hulking vessels and fighter carriers, were now caked in flames and cracked all across the semi-circle that faced the four Kais.

"_Time to end this!_" South proclaimed, as he clapped his massive hands together, doubling his already impressive size, becoming nearly the size of an entire small moon. With massive fists bearing upon the wreaked vessels, South proceeded to shatter the many ships into shards, before they detonated in space, sending out dozens of Herasian bodies to fly out into the vacuum, before embracing a bitter and dark death.

"_Where's Bojack?_" West asked pointedly, as South mopped up the remaining few vessels, "_I thought he was here with his fleet?_"

"_Was this all a distraction? A trap to lure us away?_" East inquired, visibly widening her eyes as she thought that they might have been outmaneuvered by the terrible marauder.

"_Let me find out,_" North quieted the shared thoughts of his friends, before focusing his mind's eye upon the void. There were only a few remaining vessels left, and South was preparing to launch his fists at them. As he focused on them he felt a faint trace of five signatures of the largest ruined vessel, the Harbinger, Bojack's flagship. He then, realized with a startling revelation what they were going to do, "_South, look ou-!_"

But his telepathic shout wouldn't reach him in time.

"_NGH?!_" South grunted inwardly as he saw four streaks of violet-black auras discharge from the deck of the last hull he was preparing to smash and all struck his massive body on different sides. One repelled his fist, the others, struck his face and his chest, producing large shockwaves that rippled the field of debris into barely recognizable fields of metal, bodies, and minerals.

As his body shrunk from the shock, South was narrowly caught by West's speeding frame, soon after being joined by North and East's battle readied forms.

The four aura-enraptured beings of sinister, black-violet Ki came to a halt, stopping a mere ten meters away from their forms, all powered up to the maximum. With sickly green skin enamoring their once blue complexion of ocean blue, the fiery red-haired lieutenants of Bojack's Galaxy Soldiers stood calmly and confidently before the four assembled deities.

"_I can't read their thoughts! These aren't ordinary thugs that Bojack has under his wing,_" North analyzed as he gritted his teeth, glaring heatedly at the group. But then, his eyes softened the hardened gaze and his throat went dry. What began to approach them from the fiery fragment of the bridge which once housed the immensely sized capital ship, was none other than Bojack himself. His orange mane flowed back with a liquid grace, due to the vacuum surrounding them all, and a thin aura of violet-black energy kept him from suffering the fate of his lesser subordinates.

"_So,_" Bojack's cruel, deep voice breached their thoughts against their will, unraveling the true extent of his powers, "_it appears that you destroyed my fleet of weaklings. How unfortunate for them._"

"_Those were the last of your race! How could you laugh at their vain sacrifices so callously?!_" North snarled through his own psychic rebuttal, but caused nothing but a sickening, amused chuckle from his enemy.

"_Why would a King worry about peons who flock to him so mindlessly? They were obviously seeking a glorious end, and I granted it to them. Being destroyed by enemies, such as the gods themselves, was more than a glorifying end,_" Bojack responded with an amused grin, before snarling visibly, "_not like those worms I burned to ash as I crushed my planet to dust!_"

"_You're insane!_" East hissed internally while glaring angrily at the brute.

"_I second that,_" South responded cheekily.

"_Third,_" West stuck his tongue out at the brutish Herasian, causing the entity to glare daggers at him.

"_Bojack...you claimed many, many, many lives over the past years, but no more! From this day forth,_" North Kai, rearing back his arms, declared mentally as a blinding flash of crimson fiery energy, "_before this day is over, you will not claim another life again!_"

"_Bring it on, gods of the universe!_" Bojack beckoned them with open arms, "_show me what your powers of deified proportion can really do!_"

Within a single moment, the battle regained momentum, and the powers clashed within the field of debris, hovering over a dead planet.

Streaks of crimson, white, violet, and black would collide, causing electrical discharges of energy to light up the empty mass of vacuum, blanketed only by the distant stars beyond. A symphony of vibrant explosions would ripple and continue to flow onward, crushing and shattering the graveyard of death that had been assumed not but minutes ago.

South Kai would find himself facing a nearly big Herasian chasing him, exchanging every explosively laced punch and kick for every one of South's. While South could feel an unnatural reservoir of energy that matched his own, and possibly exceeded it, he could sense that most of it was being used to protect himself from the vacuum surrounding them all. Using his own natural immunity to such affects, South would try and use grapples and body strikes to pressure the pirate, hopefully exhausting the shield of life that sustained him even in the midst of their intense struggle.

Bujin found him swerving in and out in the midst of an acrobatic duel with West Kai. The two vividly were disappearing and reappearing, sending intricate pulses of psychic energy towards each other, missing each of their targets by a hair's breath. When Bujin would send his psycho threads to catch him, West would simply teleport away, and land a strike to his flank. Likewise, when West charged, Bujin would sent discharges of telekinetic force, hurtling bits of debris hither and there, before following up with a flurry of thunderously rapid one-twos.

East Kai found herself taxed with fighting two opponents simultaneously. While Zangya would rush her from an angle, Kogu would employ a strike with his Devilish Blade. Only problem for the both of them, every time their auras would come within close proximity to East, they would find themselves being repelled or striking each other. Like a dancer fighting a pair of awkward amateurs, East would grace her hands melodiously across the black vacuum, as her own hair swirled majestically in her wake, while sending her two opponents tumbling helplessly around while they kept repeatedly charging at her from either side.

North Kai, elected the entitlement of King Kai by the Grand Kai nearly a century ago when having proven his mettle, strategic brilliance, courage, and wisdom in handling the Northern Galaxy as well as handling the others, took the fight to Bojack.

Despite powering up to maximum, he could feel Bojack toying with him. Every time he lashed out with a series of jabs, kicks, and discharges of Ki, Bojack would repel them and block them accordingly. The forces of their colliding fists were astounding, but it appeared to King Kai that his attacks were nothing but a joke to him. Then, he employed a cunning plan.

After ducking underneath a backhand sweep from Bojack's large left forearm, King Kai swerved his hands in to either side...

**SHIIINK-SHIIINK!**...forming a pair of giant crystal spikes, the size of mountain peaks, before thrusting them towards Bojack's body.

This forced the brute to raise his hands up and discharge a powerful dual set of emerald energy, ripping them apart, before they could connect to his muscular frame.

However, it did give King Kai the opening he needed to land a powerful Kaio-ken punch to the gut, causing him to stumble back from the vibrant connected strike, before being caught within a flurry of attacks.

Feeling his fists and legs throb with pain, as he struck against the nearly indestructible mountain of blue flesh and gypsy garbs, he backpedaled away to observe his handiwork, as he desperately maintained his crimson aura.

Smiling weakly, King Kai could see that he did cause some damage. Tears were abundant upon Bojack's form, as well as bruises and cuts, pocked across his flesh, with a dribble of blood leaking from his jaw. An angry pair of eyes locked onto the clever Kai, disdaining his own folly for falling into his trap.

"_You think you're so clever, don't you, little god?_" Bojack spoke with barely controlled rage through his mind, as the three Kais and four henchman of his clashed vividly around them with great intensity.

"_Well I have been known to come up with some great jokes,_" King Kai prodded with a smirk.

"_They are actually kind of tacky,_" the West spoke in the midst of his battle, landing a knee strike to Bujin's neck before whisking away before his enemy could retaliate, "_and kind of lame..._"

"_I honestly have to side with West, North,_" South thought admittedly as he head-butted Bido, creating a crackling flash of light between the two of them, following up with a series of haymaker strikes, "_they aren't in very good taste._"

"_Can you two shut it?!_" East Kai thought as she gracefully flipped over the two assailants of hers, before kicking their backs, sending them tumbling into a pile of debris near to her. Smirking, she added, "_but, they are right, in a way..._"

"**_ALL OF YOU CAN GO STRAIGHT TO HELL!_**" King Kai bellowed inwardly, as veins protruded comically along his brows, as he balled his fists tightly with emphasis, "_I swear by the Supreme, I will send your asses straight to Hell after this!_"

"_If you are done with your idiotic banter,_" Bojack interrupted, he shimmered in front of King Kai, landing a devastating knee kick to his gut before striking him solidly in the jaw, "_I have some pain I want to give back to you!_"

King Kai winced and coughed with each blow. His head rang with the spasms and force being dealt to his frame. The crimson flame of his Kaio-ken had nearly diminished to nothing, and Bojack was already on the offensive. He only had one plan left, and he knew it was a long shot. But he had no other choice! His body would break in two before he would revive his Kaio-ken back to full power.

As Bojack instigated another thrust of his massive arm, King Kai whisked away with a brief re-ignition of Kaio-ken's aura, distancing himself as he raised high above the other combatants. The gypsy pirate growled and took off after him, with a jettisoned tail of violet-black energy in his wake, as he rushed to catch the fleeing deity and wring his neck.

Before that occur, King Kai defused his Kaio-ken aura, and exchanged it with a celestial white one. Lowering his body swiftly to be perpendicular to the quickly ascending Bojack, he thrust out his palms before him, and sent a golden pulse of materialization force to strike Bojack dead-on.

What would hit Bojack would be as series of intricately designed blades, spears, clubs, and knives, all of them from different parts of the galaxy. Enraptured with energy, they hit him as a wave of energy bullets would, overwhelming his offensive and sending his body plummeting into football field size of debris, crashing with a powerful spray.

Raising his hand towards the mass of debris, he sent another pulse of materialization energy around the web of metal, minerals, and bodies, forming a large pair of cubes. With a clenching motion of his hand, a large metal box lapsed over the powerful entity.

Relaxing his body, he allowed himself to aimlessly in space, as his fellow Kais began to batter back their respective opponents, also following suit, sealing them up within cubes. Reinforced with the metal known as Katchin, the densest metal in the Universe, they knew no matter what stress the henchman of Bojack's used, wouldn't break them free.

"_All done here,_" South spoke through his mind, as he sealed Bido away.

"_Same here,_" West nodded with success on his face, sealing away Bujin for good.

"_Mine too,_" East thought with satisfaction, as both Zangya and Kogu were also captured within the pair of durable prisons.

"_Good,_" King Kai sighed, lighting his aura of white energy around him, wincing at the side-affects from his Kaio-ken, "_I think I pushed it a little too much with my Kaio-ken. Should have relied on my strategy rather than take him head-on._"

"_Yeah, thanks by the way for leaving the lady to handle two of them,_" East rolled her eyes with irritation, "_I give you one compliment and you let it go to your stupid head!_"

"_May all the hair on your head fall off some day, East. May it all fall off,_" King Kai joked, smirking, even through the pain as he floated towards the large box that contained Bojack.

**C-CRACK!** Even through the silence that space offered, all the Kais felt their blood go cold, as Bojack's aura blazed even darker and more malicious through his prison, causing it to fragment, and crack all around.

"_H-H-How is this possible?!_" South widened his eyes in alarm.

"_T-T-The Katchin...is shattering!_" East nearly screamed within her mind.

"_Does anyone have a plan B?! SOMEONE tell me we have a plan for this!_" West gasped with terror.

King Kai couldn't move. He couldn't think. He could only watch and witness as a star of black-emerald energy erupted from the football-field sized cage, revealing an enraged and very full-powered Bojack.

No words were uttered through his mind. He couldn't fathom the indignity of being imprisoned and outwitted by the gods. His teeth bore nothing but a dark smile and his eyes widened to the point of showing nothing but blood lust and insanity. He wanted to kill them all. Painfully. Slowly, and through the most gruesome manner he could conjure.

"_**BOJACK!**_" But a single, aged and commanding voice would interrupt all of their thoughts.

His single-minded focus temporarily re-adverted to deal with the interloper's voice, he could only recognize the faint presence of the highest of all gods call out his name: **The Grand Kai**.

"_If you wish to do battle with me, and take the mantle of the Universe as your pilfer coffin, then accept my challenge! Allow my associate, West Kai, to transport you to the center of the Universe! There, you will have access to the gateway to every galaxy of your choosing, and ruin whatever worlds of your desire! Come now, or you will never face me on the battlefield, and be called by me forever to be a coward!_" The thunderous voice bellowed out, causing all four Kais to stay silent and wait anxiously in trepidation at the sound of a very angry Grand Kai speaking through their minds, and Bojack's.

A painful silence elapsed, as the four weary and trembling Kais waited in fear and suspense.

If Bojack took the bait, whatever challenge meant to the Universe's fate at this point in time, and have to face the mightiest of Kais to ever have existed. Even though none of them have fought alongside the Grand Kai, they knew of his power and what he was legendary for. If anyone had a chance of beating Bojack in combat, it would be him.

Then again, if Bojack called his bluff, he would tear apart the exhausted Kais, and rampage the Universe anyways, with the wrath of the Supreme Kais bearing down on the Grand Kai's head for failing in his duties, and the Kais', postmortem.

After seeing a thoughtful glimmer enter Bojack's eyes, his thoughts brought relief to the four Kais, "_Very well, leader of the gods, I accept your challenge! I'm going to enjoy ripping you apart, and then come back for these wretched weaklings later!_"

"_You have to fist beat me, child!_" the Grand Kai uttered in a mocking tone through his own thoughts, before cutting his "connection" off with Bojack, to redirect to the four Kais, "_West Kai, I need you to transport him towards the center of the Universe. I'm going to buy you time so you can prepare_** the Nexus Prism**!"

"_W-Wait! You aren't going to kill Bojack?!_" King Kai thought with alarm as he turned to the other Kais, as West hesitantly moved towards Bojack with haste.

"_He deserves a punishment far worse than death. Though I will give him a battle, the outcome will not be to his enjoyment,_" the elderly Kai thought sagely, silencing the protests of the Kais respectively.

As West Kai looked up at the snarling Bojack, he briefly touched his shoulder, before the two of them winked out of view from the other three, leaving them to hear the remaining instructions.

"_Now, transmit yourselves back to your own planets! The sooner you do so, the sooner you can start the ritual!_" The Grand Kai thought with urgency.

"_Right away,_" South Kai nodded with respect, before waving to the other fellow Kais, disappearing with a blinking motion.

East Kai followed, leaving King Kai to transmit to his own planet.

* * *

The Center of the Universe.

When one speaks of such a place, one would imagine a grandiose, clandestine world of unimaginable beauty or wonder. Or would perhaps grace your mind with the image of an enormous star, pulsing with the heartbeat as vibrant and alive as any rainbow cast on a skyline, or painted within black canvas of stars stretching as far as the eye can see.

It would be anything but beautiful.

Lying at the center, a decrepit red star lied within the center of a field of debris and death. It would carry on for miles, spanning for millions of miles, and withholding ships, pieces of planets, and many forms of life whom had mysteriously graced too close to this forbidden area of the Universe.

Surrounding on all sides, would be a ring of black holes, continually absorbing, crushing and transporting all forms of matter to and fro from this abandoned sector of the galaxy, untouched, nearly, by all entities.

Save for two.

The Grand Kai stood tall, his muscular frame wrapped by his ceremonial robes of his designated title, his beard flourishing through space, with a pair of black eyes hidden by a pair of shades. He had the aura of golden-hue of white and yellow flourishing from his frame, his body pulsating with strength as strong as any condensed star would have.

Then, as suddenly the second entry would appear, he would be left alone by his challenger.

Bojack's rippling pale, sickly green skin withheld a large body built for nothing but war. His large mane of orange hair now a brilliant shade of crimson blood, with his eyes projecting an emerald glare towards the Grand Kai. An aura of emerald-black energy wrapped around his body with protection and pulsation, thrumming as vast as the power beating within his heart.

No thoughts were exchanged between the two. Only glares, and knowing flexes of muscles, energies, and bones. There will be blood in the vacuum of space this day, and Bojack intended it to be the Grand Kai's.

Within the space of a single blink of an eye, the two struck each other's fists, causing what would be seen as a blast of blinding light to emit from both pair of strong, calloused knuckles. Power poured from within the faint gap of their fingers, as orbs of energy overlapped twice, thrice, and until five build-ups, before detonating point blank.

The explosion would have ripped apart a planet and through the solar system, as it expanded like a balloon of emerald-white force, dissipating as suddenly as it came, as it imploded within the wake of the vacuum.

Streaming out with incredible fury, the two combatants struck each other repeatedly with intense collision, causing enough friction between the two bodies to discharge fissures of lightning and collapses of transparent pressure. Blinking in and out, the silent duet of death continued to hail across the cosmos' centerpiece, like a battle between two forces, that would forever wage past their time spent in the emptiness of space.

Fist struck fist.

Knee struck knee.

Elbow struck elbow.

Forehead met forehead.

The clash continued to build in intensity, as fissures of terrifying power spread across the cosmos, producing planetary destructive tendrils of colliding and discharging fissures of bio-lightning. Every time the Grand Kai would strike Bojack's rippling frame, he would be struck back just as hard, into the black silk that wrapped over his body. The force would shatter moons, and barely phase the fighters, as they continued to trade mind-boggling blows while never leaving each others' gazes.

As they seperated, Grand Kai's cloak would rupture from the force, along with his hat, revealing his full body's form. Rippling with massive muscles, the Grand Kai was adorned with scars of various sorts. From blades, to burns, to broken bones, the Grand Kai's weathered body looked aged and refined over the thousands of years of his existence from legendary conflicts and epic wars within ancient times past. His eyes, now revealed after his shades shattered, glared with unyielding disdain and anger at Bojack. Yet, not a single blood and been drawn from his frame.

Likewise, Bojack's gargantuan frame had yet to show any sign of damage from the clash of flesh and Ki exerted by the Grand Kai. If anything, his eyes furrowed with confusion. The power welling within the deity seemed unending and everlasting, just like the force within his own soul. So why did he feel like the god whom challenged him was holding back?

His answer would come with a series of blips, as four familiar caskets of Katchin and other fine materials flowed towards the aging star at the epicenter of the Universe.

As the Herasian warrior's eyes widened, he felt himself being pulled into the star itself, as golden threads of enormous Ki began to draw him into the decrepit, pulsing force of fusion energy.

Locking glaring eyes at a pair of humored black ones, he realized he had been tricked. The center of the Universe was a prison, and he was being pulled in, along with the four imprisoned cohorts of his own. When he felt the searing heat lick at his body as he entered its mass, he swore inwardly he would wreak revenge against anyone the Kais had disciplined or cared for, and bleed the Universe dry.

As Bojack's body hit the center, along with his four Lieutenants, the star changed shape and glowed an ominous white-blue aura. Locked in perfect suspended animation, Bojack would be helpless as the Universe would continue to endure, as he and his minions would watch on for eternity, unable to lift a finger, and unable to conjure any form of aggression in retaliation.

* * *

**Age 767, the Present**

When the story had finished its tale, or what parts that Goku could gather, he among the other Champions were mind-boggled.

Not only a terror that the Kais couldn't have contended with effectively arrive on Earth, but he planned on striking at his own home planet, and targeted his son as part of his revenge scheme.

Aosai felt herself sweat beads of fright, remembering full well what she felt as her race perished nearly a half millennium after her own death. This became all the more of concern, especially one of the Kais was deceased.

Pikkon's eyes were also widened, though he did his best to restrain his features to show anything but alarm. He couldn't believe that Bojack was so strong, that the Grand Kai himself had invoked combat against him, and suggested sealing, rather than smiting him from the face of reality. What wisdom was in this? He couldn't understand, even if it wasn't his place to.

Rao remained utterly silent, one of the few who had control of his emotions and absorbed all that was told without flinching in fear. After all, he was dead, and they were in a world separate from theirs. Why would he care what would occur beyond his own control?

Though, one question plagued the Kais' minds. What caused Bojack to be released?

"Does anyone remember how that seal worked again?" King Kai asked aloud to his fellow deities, seeing them all rub their heads, with none of them quite figuring out how it worked. After all, it had been five hundred years since they've used it, and they never had to use it in their whole lives before and after that dreadful time. None of them seemed to place a finger on it.

With a belated sigh, the Grand Kai turned his chair pointedly back to the screen, saying aloud, "The fact Son Goku and King Kai are here, deceased, and robbed of life, means that King Kai's planet is also destroyed. The Nexus Prism was solely focused as a magic seal that was bound to the life force and the planetary integrity of four planets. The North, South, East, and West. If any one of them were lost, then the beast unlocked, and the seal would be undone."

"Uh-oh..." King Kai's mouth uttered dryly, as he realized at once what the other Kais did. Cell's blast destroyed the seal, the moment it killed him and destroyed the planet.

On the screen, Goku winced, as he heard an all too familiar voice cry out in despair and anger, right on the big screen TV that shook the heavens and the expansive Other Space.

"**_KAKAROT! YOU! ARE! THE! WORST! SUPER! SAIYAN! EVER!_**"

Looking on with horror, Goku couldn't bring himself to laugh, cry, or apologize. Vegeta had just heard the truth of his mistake from Bojack himself. Flopping onto his seat uselessly, he felt utterly and pitifully worthless. What had he done to the Universe?! Did he save it from Cell...or doom it to the wrath of Bojack?!

* * *

**A/N**: _Excluding this tidbit, I've got a 15,700+ word count for this chapter. WOW! This was a big one._

_At some points I felt that I should have stopped earlier, but I felt it more appropriate to cover everything in one go. I hope I answered a few questions, gave some interesting bids of cool action, and a nice few connection between unexplained mistakes made by the Kais in the past and the present. I had a lot of fun writing this out, in every part, so I hope you enjoy the read (and tolerate all the wordy mass it has, lol)_

_Also, if you have any requests for the upcoming Other World Tournament that will be happening in the next few chapters, please PM me with suggestions or leave it as a comment in your review._

_I'll see you next in VC's 7th Chapter, so all you Vegeta Chronicles Fans, please catch me next time on Monday or Tuesday with the next submission of the most Epic clash of fists, flesh, and bones of the series yet!_

_Until then, I'll see you all next time on the next Other World Saga chapter! :)_


	5. The Wake Up Call

**THE OTHER WORLD SAGA**

**Chapter 5 - The Wake Up Call**

* * *

It hadn't been but moments after Vegeta's outcry that Goku witnessed the beating of a lifetime given to him. Bojack's henchmen, the last Galaxy Soldiers, threw up some form of webbing, draining his rival and friend's power as their leader proceeded to beat him to a bloody pulp. It was by a miracle that his friends arrived at the time they did to rescue the Saiyan prince, each of them engaging one of the alien warriors.

"_Show them the power of the Galaxy Soldiers!_" Bojack's voice came through the TV's speakers, issuing the subordinates power up to full strength. The dark energies and roars of Kiai exiting their mouths sent thunderous reverberations of the shockwaves of sheer power through the speakers. It shook the planet and sent ebbs of sound waves to carry across to Other World beyond the scope of Grand Kai's planet.

It looked bleak for the Kais and the fellow contender-filled audience.

Ever since the dark revelation that was revealed through the tale of the Grand Kai, a series of nervous murmurs carried around the overcrowded planet. They didn't know what to believe. Did the Grand Kai foresee this tragedy that is unfolding in the living world, in the very competition that was the esteemed Goku's home planet? Or was he as ignorant as the other Kais' in witnessing his unleashed state and his plans to wreak havoc once again.

Among the Kais, they were still panicking, especially when Bojack told his subordinates to unleash their true power. They could only remember how they barely subdued the immensely powerful beings. Looking at them now, they looked just as strong, if not stronger than half a millennium ago.

"This is bad! Really, really, REALLY bad!" West Kai cried out in an aghast tone, his salmon-complexioned skin feverishly covered with cold sweat, perforating his nervousness about the situation.

"T-They're just as evil and twisted as they were back then!" East Kai bit on her nails, as her own yellowish skin beaded with sweat of her own.

"And j-j-just as powerful!" South Kai bellowed, seeing their awful energies exude their now green-skinned, red-haired bodies looked horrifying to him.

King Kai did all he could to keep himself composed. Seeing the Herasian terrors that he and his fellow Kais failed to defeat fully without the Grand Kai's intervention, humiliating him so. The despair it brought upon himself and his fellow Kais caused them to whittle away and become lax, knowing the Grand Kai would step in where they would fail. Their idleness and blissful ignorance of Bojack's unleashed state caused him to pale when he saw the monster, on Earth no less, it brought up all forms of bad feelings within him.

Before he could say anything, the Grand Kai raised his tone to all of them, "QUIET, YA FOOLS!"

The Kais all stopped bellyaching and despairing at once, immediately readying their gazes to their esteemed leader and master.

"I'm tryin' to watch the show," the Grand Kai concurred with a grin, grabbing some of the popcorn on his lap and tossing it into his mouth, as his shade-covered eyes watched the giant screen attentively, "I suggest you do the same. Its all any of us can do, right? Give faith to these warriors of Earth, King Kai. They've been training hard for the last half year. Don't believe that Goku's absence didn't leave some form of impact on them."

"I...uh...yes sir," King Kai bowed his head, apologetically lamenting for his lack of faith in his own disciples, and Vegeta's son.

Even as the battle became renewed, with each of the Z Fighters launching themselves at their enemies, or vice versa,

It was at this point, that one of the Galactic Champions refused to be completely silent.

"With all due respect, Grand Kai," Aosai, the only other Herasian sitting upon the Grand Kai's planet, looked over with a questionable gaze to the old deity, "what compelled you to seal this disreputable monster and his henchmen, when you could have slain him? Surely this was within your power, wasn't it? Why place the whole Universe at risk when ending his life would've been much more suitable?"

"Are you suggesting you'd rather see Bojack here, rather in the living realm, Aosai?" The Grand Kai answered her calmly, still munching on his popcorn, never taking his eyes off the screen before him.

Aosai narrowed her eyes, a semblance of a glare projecting from her dazzling eyes, "I'm saying why not place him in Hell where he belonged much sooner, whereas in the off chance these Earthlings and Saiyans can execute him?"

"Because, at the time, I hadn't amassed such a fine collection of prestigious and powerful warriors for this world to rely upon," The Grand Kai issued, finally turning his head in her direction, "Pikkon wan't even born yet, and I had yet to make contact with the Wizard next to you. The Galactic Champions would've taken initiative with no proper direction, and chaos would ensue within Other World like it hasn't been seen in ages. While Other Space can't be destroyed and can always repair what was broken without any aid from myself or the Kais, it is...unseemly...for us to make the Afterlife a barbaric place, where no order or peace can be assured, even for the denizens of Hell. If Bojack had come when he had, we wouldn't have had the peaceful, even boring, dynasty we had for Other World as a whole."

"I...see," Aosai lowered her head and turned her gaze away from the Grand Kai, as her voice quietly whispered in acknowledgement, "I understand. Forgive me, it wasn't my place-"

"Oh forget it! If you kids never asked old dudes like me what the Hell we were doin', then you'd never know, would ya?" The Grand Kai waved his hand dismissively, followed by a good natured laugh as he continued watching the battles unfold before him.

"_How can he act so carefree at a time like this? Is he truly that confident in Earth's fighters to stave off this threat that not even the Kais could handle on their own?_" Aosai wondered with amazement, looking over to see the reactions of her fellow Galactic Champions.

Rao, the Wizard of Konats, had remained stoically silent and unphased by the events unfolding before him. The only thing visible were his violet eyes, staring at the screen with an attentive stare, not once touching the bowl of popcorn sitting upon his lap. It was mysterious and cold, almost like that of Pikkon's stature, though his features were more presentable and easier to read.

Pikkon listened with great attention to the esteemed Grand Kai. His features never wavered, even at times held a great honest amazement at how the Grand Kai had planned things out and had clashed with this infamous being of chaos and destruction. If he had planned this out, and from his time spent with him it most certainly looked like it, he apparently had some plan in the works that no one even knew about.

Looking to the side, he saw Goku had fallen to his hands and knees, having grown deathly quiet and still. For someone as loud and flamboyant as the Saiyan was, it actually...concerned...for his well being. He had so sympathy to give him, as he didn't know much about the man other than his tales of his great exploits within the Northern Galaxy. He wouldn't know what to say, so for now, he kept quiet, and observed the fights unfold before him.

Goku's mind reeled with questions and guilt. Where had he gone wrong? How many times had he made a bad choice on instinct rather than thinking things over? He knew he was better than this. He had to be! When did it all start going horribly spiraling out of his control? As he kept asking himself, he heard less and less of the battle happening around him, and more focused on withdrawing into his mind, so he may recall the earlier moments of his life.

* * *

_Goku's eyes suddenly opened, now feeling himself wake within a surreal world. He felt weightless, and floating among a black and white void. It pulsed and thrummed, like a living heartbeat, inexplicably flashing crackling and shimmering images in front of Goku's eyes. Was he dreaming? Is this...inside his head?_

_Before he could determine that, he suddenly felt himself floating amidst the cold edges of space. Moving at speeds outside of his own control, he could hear his own voice, speaking aloud near "himself"._

_"_**Ahhhhh**,** good to stretch the ol' legs.**_" Goku, his past self, stretched his arms as the suspended animation had been lifted off his body. The Ginyu pod had been repaired by the friendly inhabitants he had lived with for the past several months. Not only that, he had developed the ability to willfully control his Super Saiyan powers, and even adapt a technique the locals had. Things were looking up for him, and it would only be another several hours before he arrived-, "_**what?! Frieza! He's still alive!**_" _

_Goku's present self reached out towards the pod's windows, feeling them almost actually feeling the cold surface as he soared alongside his past self. He was amazed that he could hear what his past self could say, given that he was within the void of space. Even still, he continued to be enraptured the farthest mistake that he spoke of with his Grandpa Gohan: His decision to allow Frieza to reach Earth before him._

_"_**I can't let him hurt anyone else!**_" Goku's past self reached up to his forehead, concentrating his energy to a single point, but, suddenly stopped. He began to reconsider, and relax his hand down._

_Present-Goku's eyes widened when he saw his past incarnation retract his fingers, before resting his head back on the cushion. He never heard any words exit out of his mouth, but he could feel himself ask his past why he did it? Why did he not go and save his family and friends from the evil he battled so hard to defeat?_

_"_**I'm sure my friends will be alright when I get there. He can't possibly do that much damage, right?**_" He heard his past self speak before he closed his eyes. _

_Goku couldn't help but feel...wrong...so wrong for not going to stop Frieza. Had Trunks from the future not stopped Frieza and his father, his friends, his family, his whole planet would be ashes by the time he'd arrive. Again, he'd be too late to save the ones he loved, and this time he had the power to confront them outright. Why?! Why didn't he?!_

_Before Goku could reach out to the pod, he felt himself shimmer through, and shift into another scene, this time, in a much more familiar place._

* * *

_"_**Father! Piccolo is in trouble!**_" Goku suddenly heard the sound of his son, slightly younger and with that shining light of naive goodness through his bright onyx eyes. He looked desperate, determined, and terrified. He wanted to do anything to save the life of his mentor and friend, the one who stuck with him whenever his father wasn't around._

_"_**No son,**_" Goku's manifestation of his past self sat crossed legged, determined not to remove himself from that spot. While there was still a good couple hours left before Vegeta and his son would leave, he didn't want to miss the opportunity of seeing them, nor leave the chamber unused. His mind had been made up and would refuse to give into his protective impulses, no matter how much he had to, "_**Piccolo had made his choice when he took on the Androids. If we go now to fight Cell, we'd stand no more chance than he did. Staying put is the best thing for everyone.**"

_"_**But dad! He's my friend! I can't just abandon him!**_"_ Gohan pleaded aloud, feeling tears beginning to well up within his eyes, pouring down his cheeks as grief began to well up within his chest.

_As Goku watched within the mindscape of his memory that unfolded before him, he couldn't help but feel his heart clench and tremble at such a sight. But his past self, for whatever reason, stared at him impassively and with a foolish certainty in the actions he was taking would be justified,_ "**I'm sorry, Gohan, but there is no other way. We have to wait here.**_"_

_"_**I can't do that, dad! Not this time!**_" With a magnificent flare of blue-white Ki, Gohan glared at his father's unyielding form, "_**you may be comfortable sitting there and waiting for Piccolo to die, but unlike you, I don't want my friends to die helpless and without aid that I could have given them!**_"_

_There it was again. That pang of guilt, rushing through his heart like a sharp knife. Goku clenched at his chest, as he saw Gohan spoke true to home what he had failed to do, what Trunks had accomplished beforehand. He failed to come when they needed him most. He felt himself ground his teeth upon each other's surface, as he glared at his impassive, and even angry self for seeing Gohan say such things to him. _

_As Gohan began to take off, Goku felt his eyes widened with shock and horror, as he saw his past self outpace him with utter ease and land a punch into the jaw of his only child. Hearing the crunch he made as he fell onto his back, only made him gasp with amazement, even as his past self landed and looked away, not even apologizing for the hit he struck his son for. At least, not to his face. _

_Goku just realized...just how absent he had been during his son's maturation. He felt as if he had seen this a thousand times over. He remembered the times when Chi-Chi asked him to stay and watch his son, but would insist on going adventuring without them weighing him down. It felt as if doing things he was normally used to, had begun to gently and slowly tear away the things that mattered most in his life. As a result, his wife began to despise his attitude, and began to force her unnaturally brilliant child to study and become "respectable", in hopes that her son wouldn't have to put his family through the same thing that she had to deal with. As much love as she had, Goku knew that Chi-Chi must have suffered a lot because of his ignorance of his family's affairs and his more-than-often absence he'd spend away from those whom he cherished. _

_In the end, he realized that his son grew up, under the scrutinizing watch of his wife and the careful guidance of his rival and former enemy, Piccolo._

_Wait._

_Was that, why he was willing to callously toss away his friend's life? Was he...jealous...of what connection he had to his child? Did he become engrossed with bitterness that his son had become to lose respect for his father, and would often look up to Piccolo instead, or was he just so ignorant of his son's feelings, that he was willing to cast aside one of the most redeemed beings he had the pleasure of sparing and befriending? Is that...why he rushed to save Tien instead of saving Piccolo?_

_As he clenched his head, as it spasm in sync, as he become to know just how far he had fallen as as a man, a father, and a friend, the world began to bend upon itself and shift once more..._

* * *

_"_**I give up!**_"_

_Goku's eyes widened again, hearing those haunting words escape his own mouth. Looking around, he recognized the place being the last spot on Earth he had been and the last battle he fought before he died. His gaze rested right next to his former self's body, grazed and battered from his battle, but still with a smile on his face. He, while still standing, had the gall to just give up to the enemy?_

_Looking up, his eyes widened as he saw the night indestructible and immortal terror that shook everyone's knees upon sight: Cell. A very being that personified cunning, despicable wickedness, and evil. Someone that Goku would normally strive defeat, at any cost, no matter how high on his own account. _

_Why didn't he try to stop him sooner? Why did he...allow so many cities to be destroyed, and so many people to be...devoured and slain by this abomination?! How could he allow such tragedy to befall the Earth, when he had protected it so many times beforehand? It felt as if every decision he had made up to his return to Earth had become more and more incredulous and insane. It didn't feel like him at all to preform these acts that would blatantly put everyone within harm's way, with the only rationalization that the Dragon Balls would solve everything. _

_He knew better, that not even a magical dragon, could erase the pain and suffering a person underwent when being cursed with the anguish and despair of being put through crisis and death so often._

_But it didn't get any better, as he relived the conversation he had with Cell further..._

_"_**Really? You're giving up? Exactly who here can fight me in your place?**_" Cell cast a doubtful glance at each of the Z Fighters gathered there. Goku only realized just how outmatched they were all in front of this madman and monster. Tien, Yamcha, Krillin, and even Piccolo, Trunks, and Vegeta would all be picked apart if Goku didn't stop him._

_"_**There is one person who can fight you in my place, Cell!**_" Goku couldn't believe what he was saying. Why...why did he trust his son to fight in his place? He shouldn't be quitting, and yet, he's doing just that. He never backed down from a fight before. He couldn't stop, not when he could still find a way to defeat him!_

_In the end, he knew who he meant. He chose Gohan, someone with amazing potential and prowess, having been displayed time and again throughout the battles he's partaken within. He stood up to Frieza on a number of occasions, as well as to his goons, and following that, he fought tooth and nail against Cooler's subordinates. In some sense, Goku rationalized that he deserved a moment to stop the evil on his own with a power that could outshine his own. _

_As he watched the battle unfold before him, he could see that anger build up within Piccolo. He was in pain, and didn't want to see his disciple and surrogate son undergo the same fate that he had nearly had. Time and again, he stood in the path of pain and oppression that threatened to engulf him. His protective instinct was about greater than what Goku's was, and once again, began to gnaw at the ever growing ache within his mind and heart. _

_Piccolo yelled at him to jump in and stop this senseless one-sided battle, but it had already been too late. Gohan had been beaten into submission and had no will to fight left. Cell began to grow impatient, spawning devil-spawns in his own likeness, charging at himself and his friends, attempting to break them apart, kill them in front of Gohan's eyes, and send him into the shock he wanted so desperately wished to unravel his full potential as a Super Saiyan. _

_Then, Goku saw Android 16, the peace loving machine whom had most recently been befriended by his son and the others, jump in to try and stop Cell himself. Though his sacrifice was in vain, his death struck the chord of anguish that Gohan's mind needed to snap. But as he yelled, Goku no longer saw the brilliant sparks of energy, the searing shockwave of energy erupting from his young body, or the fulfilling of the potential he and his own enemy wished to see. He saw a little boy, whom just lost a friend in the most callous way, causing him to cry and scream out in grief and bitter rage. _

_How far had he fallen? Had he been in the position that Gohan had been, he knew that he would have prolonged the battle as long as he could, and watch his prideful, arrogant enemy buckle and give into despair that had clenched his heart. Even though he understood it was childish immaturity that kept Gohan from finishing Cell, it was his fault for pushing his own son to experience such a trauma, in order to grasp that power he needed to defeat the monster he gave up fighting. He knew, now when he was dead, that his son had tried to carry that out, and it was because of his own actions that led up to that point, that he caused his own death and the near obliteration of all that he cared about. _

Just when he felt he couldn't take anymore of the events that he knew that would follow, an identical scream pierced his consciousness, and ripped away the mental contemplation that held him captive...

* * *

"**_RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!_**" Gohan's voice penetrated the air of the Grand Kai's planet, shaking it to its core, carrying out across the grassy plains and trees towards the distant planet of Other World. It sent shivers up the spines of many a contestant that sat upon the far off lines that looked up at the immense screen, projecting the image of a child Super Saiyan ascending to a height of power very few can reach. As soon as the flames that erupted from his golden aura died down, the lightning that coursed around his lithe body stabilized, allowing him to fixate a cold glare in the direction of Bojack. He pointed towards his enemy, and snarled aloud, "_Leave them alone, bastard! You're fight is with ME now!_"

"Whoo-boy!" The Grand Kai smiled with enjoyment, as the other Kais hung their jaws, with the exception of a proud knowing King Kai, at the sign of Gohan's unleashed power, "looks like this is going to get exciting!"

Goku's eyes opened, suddenly realizing where he was again. His own son's voice, coming from the speakers, brought him back to reality and threw away the nightmares. His child. His son, a hero of Earth now, whom he had left and given trust to him. Looking up, he could feel him gaping up at the stoic and anger-filled visage of Gohan staring back at the immense form of Bojack. Having obviously went into a transformed powerful state, they both looked as if they were standing off and facing each other in an uncertain battle.

With a proud smile, Goku realized whom was going to win, even before the two threw their fists at each other's.

**KRAK-KOOM!** When their fists clashed, a realistic buffeting shockwave projected from the speakers of the skyscraper-sized TV, sending bristling airwaves that rippled the clothing and hair of the Galactic Champions, the Kais, and would send a few of the closer seated contestants off their seats and feet, just from the force being initiated.

"I-Incredible!" Aosai uttered aloud, her eyes widened and her mouth held agape, as her vibrant orange hair flourished like a wind-blown flag, "that force must be immense to produce such a powerful sound wave!"

The Wizard stared with curiosity, even as his hood rippled with such intensity, that it threatened to throw off the one thing obscuring his facial visage. What baffled him, was that a being that faced off with the Grand Kai, was now standing against a boy, and having difficulty in doing so. What strength did a Super Saiyan possess?

"This shouldn't be possible!" Pikkon felt himself uttering aloud, his eyes widened as he saw the child unleash such bountiful force, that he matched each punch of Bojack's with one of his own. The foundation of the battlefield they chosen shook with vibrant intensity, that he knew would be shaking the planet for miles, only dampened by the reinforcement the man-made island was built out of. How could a mere child stand up to a monster that could fight gods on even terms?!

"That's my boy," Goku felt himself saying aloud, smiling ear to ear, as he stood up onto his feet. Cupping his hands over his mouth, he felt himself cheer, despite the fact he wasn't in a stadium and a literal lifetime away, "GO FOR IT, GOHAN! TAKE HIM DOWN!"

The Grand Kai smiled with amusement, as King Kai felt himself sweat with embarrassment, feeling the eyes of his compatriots stare incredulously at the strange man shouting at the TV screen like a madman. Shouldn't a Galactic Champion be more dignified and composed?

Goku, not once, sat back down during the battle's entirety. He watched intently as they exchanged blows, with Gohan often being the one whom outmaneuvered Bojack, using deft maneuvers of incredible dexterity and athletic skill, landing blow after blow upon his grotesquely large, green, red-haired body. The shockwaves blew back his hair and temporarily caused his ears to ring with each impact, but he didn't care. He enjoyed watching this fight, much better than the one with Cell.

This time, Gohan fought out of his own initiative and free will, not out of his father's manipulations nor out of circumstances that he wished not upon himself. He fought for the sake of his friends and used the power he honed these past months training, to inherit the will his father laid out before him.

"_**Super Masenko!**_" Gohan shouted out, discharging a golden pillar of energy that enveloped Bojack's turning form, throwing him across the artificial sky ceiling, before exploding magnificently at the far end of the area. When Bojack emerged from the smoke and haze, he looked burnt, battered, and bruised. It was clear he was enraged at the futility of his efforts.

He would discharge a pair of dual orbs into a singular powerful one towards Gohan, intending on destroying the entire island and dozens of kilometers of landscape beyond their battlefield. Noting the enormity of the situation, Gohan intensified his energy, causing the Kais to be alarmed as he used his energy solely to defuse the enormous bomb that was hurtled his way.

"Oh no! Gohan look out!" King Kai cried out, as the Galactic Buster became the young warrior's sole focus instead of the enemy who fired it.

But it was futile, as Bojack was already upon him, striking him cleanly without opposition, before hurtling down into the ground and battering him into the landscape with great intensity. For a solid minute, Bojack swung his fist and slammed it into the small boy's frame that he held with one hand, by the hair no less. The buildings shattered, the earth descended, and glass shattered with each connected blow. It looked painful, and it looked hopeless.

"_Have anything to say to me now, boy?!_" Bojack heaved, showing noticeable effort and force into pummeling the boy, smiling maliciously at the fruit of his efforts. Seeing the boy dangling with eyes closed, with a torn gi, blood and bruises upon his body. It looked to be completely in his favor.

That is, until Gohan's eyes snapped open, and his voice dryly retorted back, "_Ow...that hurt..._"

**CRACK!** A deafening crack could be heard, as a powerful upwards knee kick propelled into the relaxed and extended right arm at the point of the elbow. Produced from the blinding flash of electrical and kinetic force was a burst of violet blood, as bone fragmented and pierced upwards, bending the arm irregularly, brutally injuring the Herasian warrior.

Even as the warrior howled in agony, he desperately swung out the same threads that bound and sucked the energy out of Vegeta. They barely even grazed Gohan's skin before being blasted away by a powerful Kiai, shockwaving the entire planet once more from the magnified, ridiculous speakers mounted atop of the humongous scaled TV upon the planet.

Bent over and writhing in pain, Bojack lacked any of the necessary tricks and cunning that Cell had, making him much less dangerous than the last adversary his son tangled with. With a sigh of relief, Goku believed it to be over.

Oh how wrong was he.

"Not...QUITE!" Bojack uttered with a blood-stained smile, as he slammed his good arm's fist into the ground, projecting a powerful blinding light that overwhelmed the screen itself. Goku's alarm came back, as he realized the same kind of desperation Cell possessed. The same kind when he was backed into a corner and beaten. Would he try something as well?

That answer was received when the screen shifted back to an overhead view of the stadium, as the pyramid from which the contestants should have arrived within exploded from deafening and vibrant impact. Bojack's reentry sent stark fear and terror into the audience, causing them all to immediately recede back into the exits and try to escape the new monster that arrived.

His eyes were set towards a specific pair of people Goku cared about, sitting near the middle section of the stadium, with good viewing of the overall stadium floor: Chi-Chi and Bulma, the latter holding her child and the prior bearing one. Hold on, Goku thought. His wife was pregnant?! He only spent one intimate night with her before the Cell Games, how did this happen?!

But that incredulous line of thought turned to utter fear as Bojack shimmered in front of his wife and his best friend from childhood. He felt his teeth audibly grind against each other, and his eyes glare towards the screen, even as he verbally confirmed that she was the mother of their son.

**VOOM!** "B-B-Bastard!" Goku felt himself uttering aloud, his body automatically shifting to Super Saiyan state, sending a blast of golden laced energy to throw his seat back and thrust a good number of contenders backwards. The rage he felt natural, as much as it had when he relied upon it when in intense training with his father and the brutal anguish under the exercises from his mother. Now, after all the bottled up guilt rise to the surface, momentarily buried by the joy of seeing his son fight, reignite with passion as he glowered at Bojack.

When he saw Bulma fling helplessly in front of everyone, King Kai's eyes widened as Goku's aura began to spasm and crackle with even higher intensity.

"M-MY FAMILY...HOW...DARE...YOU...!" Goku began to growl out in a tone foreign since the day his Super Saiyan powers awakened, the day that Frieza's cruelty claimed the life of Krillin right before his eyes. Now, with the threat of his own wife, unborn son, and everyone he cared about in the balance, that rage began to spill out anew, and with greater intensity than ever before.

Lightning began to spray from his body, causing Pikkon, Rao, and Aosai to raise their hands and stand up with alarm, Grand Kai to widen his eyes with intrigue, and the Kais to shout in alarm as Goku's body began to undergo an unstable metamorphosis. The energy ebbed across Other Space, crackling and roaring out, even as Goku's voice shouted out into the heavens.

* * *

Cell had been studying the entirety of the fight from a distance. He was greatly impressed by the leaps and strides the Super Saiyans, even Yamcha and Tien, had made since his untimely demise along with their precious Goku's. Fascinated by Trunks ability to contend at a higher level than he was shown capable of before, and showing deft control of swordsmanship, Gohan's adaptability in fighting against a tricky opponent with unusual powers, Tien and Yamcha's mastery of techniques Goku himself had abandoned long before fighting him, and Piccolo's tenacity in dealing with this Bojack.

The battle between Gohan and Bojack intrigued him by far the most. Using his hearing, he picked out very minute details of the fluid grace and more focus that Gohan had over his ascended Super Saiyan powers. Now that he had trained for the last six months, that power had significantly stabilized and now had become a very formidable force to be reckoned with. It had certainly placed Bojack into a position of humility and disgrace, for sure, but what followed caused his own eyes to widen with shock.

A powerful gust of wind, followed by the screams carried from a planet away, gave rise to a power greater than his. It was to his complete surprise, that it was Goku, and not anyone else, who exuded this power.

"H-How can this be?!" Cell found himself aghast and baffled, as his mouth held agape as he witnessed this new power surge to the surface from the man who couldn't defeat him, "Goku?!"

* * *

"T-That damned Goku!" Frieza shouted with disdain, as his father trembled with understandable fear, as the entirety of Other World trembled, despite being far away from the Grand Kai's planet. To his despair, his dreaded enemy, and yet another Saiyan was becoming as strong as Bardock, the leader of the disreputable family who continued to haunt his family, "why is he so strong?!"

Cooler felt himself shake with frustration. His fists clenched and his jaw went taut with rage. It didn't matter how much he mastered his 5th Form now. Goku's new awakening outclassed him in any sense beyond comprehension. He knew now, any plans to come out on top would be over if he didn't think outside the box. The only problem was, whom would he look to for guidance and aid?

He could only wonder as the power continued to ebb across the entirety of Other Space...

* * *

"Is that Kakarot?!" Hanassia's eyes widened with shock, hearing her son's shout of indignation and rage carry so far, even to the depths of Hell.

Bardock could only smile as a bead of sweat came down his brow. Finally, his son had reached the state of mind he needed to awaken that kind of power. With a dark, low whisper, he could utter aloud, "That's my boy..."

* * *

"I WON'T LET YOU, BOJACK! YOU HEAR ME?! I WON'T LET YOU..." Goku shouted aloud, his power billowing out and crackling all across the horizon of the planet, flattening the earth beneath him, igniting the air around him into golden flames, and exuding bountiful currents of bio-electricity around his skin and muscles.

The scene baffled all those present. The immense power radiating from Goku was unlike few would ever see.

Rao's eyes widened and for once, became completely unsettled by the amount of wrath-filled rage filled the voice of the Super Saiyan. Never in over the centuries had he seen such a passionate cry for vengeance erupt from the lungs of a powerful warrior. It made him admire the true sincerity that Goku held, as it rivaled that of his own past lifetime's disciples, in how eager they were to deal out justice to the unjust. A small, rare smile encroached upon the voiceless Champion of the South Galaxy.

Pikkon's brow beaded with sweat at the intensity of the force the man exuded. He knew that this Goku or Kakarot, whatever his name may be, held a great amount of potential. During the entirety of the vicious cycle of continuous training he had suffered at the hands of his borderline barbaric parents, never once had he exuded this type of force from his being. Where did this wellspring of energy erupt from?

Aosai smiled with great amazement and keen fascination, despite the initial fear of seeing the man erupt into an aura of golden light and blue lightning that shook the planet and Other Space violently. Even her own race's purest transformations, as well as the impure ones that Bojack and his gang exuded, paled in comparison of the holy aura of undeniable conviction and courage that Goku exuded. She truly started to feel her heart pound, as she found the man all the more irresistible, past his clumsy antics and goofy exterior, as her heart began to quiver with excitement just being near him.

The Kais were on their backsides, ten meters away, witnessing the terrifying aura that Goku projected. It was comparable to the same fear that they all had of Bojack, but something much stronger. Something comforting and wrathful at the same time. Like it was there to be guaranteed to protect all those within its vicinity, while vanquishing evil.

Then, Goku moved his right hand up to his forehead, before King Kai could figure out his intentions, and disappear within a single leap of Instant Transmission.

Goku had vanished...

"**_DON'T LAY A HAND ON MY FAMILY, BOJACK!_**" Goku shouted out, not in person, but on the speakers of the enormous television, as he shimmered next to Bojack's unguarded form as he prepared to murder his wife and unborn child with a grappling Ki blast, slamming his fist upon entry into his jawline.

Everyone's jaws dropped and all became quiet with astounding amazement and incredulous disbelief. The Super Saiyan defied death and leaped across the barriers between Other Space and the Living realm, to strike a Warp Punch directly into Bojack's jaw, forcing him to unhand Chi-Chi, and allowing the deceased husband to grab a hold of her protectively before everyone's eyes.

Son Goku had breached the barrier of life and death to save his family.

* * *

**A/N**: _Wow...I took a little longer than I wanted to get this chapter updated. Phew, sorry about that guys. I guess writing that long chapter in Vegeta Chronicles gave me a case of slacking xP_

_Anywho, please feel free to leave a review and comment, share your thoughts of what had unfolded. I hoped you liked what I've done with Goku, as he retraced his steps through the mistakes he made over the course of the Android/Cell Saga. I hope it connected the dots and gave him purpose and reason to leap across the fabric of death and life in order to save his wife._

_Till then, I'll see you on the next updated chapter of The Other World Saga! ^_^ _


	6. The Calm Before The Storm

**THE OTHER WORLD SAGA**

* * *

**Chapter 6 - The Calm Before The Storm**

* * *

All had been struck into awe and dumbfound silence.

Son Goku, Champion of the Northern Galaxy, had been at the center seats of witnessing the terrifying creature he felt he was responsible for being freed, holding his wife and unborn child at his mercy. Struck into a rage that few could have expected, save for the slyly smiling Grand Kai, Goku had awakened power greater than he had ever tapped into up until now.

The silence, when broken, was spoken by the most obvious deity.

"G-Goku! You're dead! You're not supposed to...! Why are you...?! GOKU! GET BACK HERE NOW!" King Kai yelled at the enlarged, mega screen of the TV as he saw his most skilled student lose himself to the moment and use Instant Transmission to strike Bojack. The utter fact that not only did he bypass the veil surrounding Other Space so effectively, but actually deck the intergalactic terror with incapacitating force, just sent him into a state of rage and confusion.

South Kai, East Kai, and West Kai couldn't respond other than collectively gasp and sweat in nervousness. This had never been foreseen to occur, or has it ever happened in the history of Other World. No mortal whom had been received within the After Life had ever developed a technique where they could slip through spacial fabric to any point of their choosing. The fact Goku, and this Cell creature had this ability, scared them to the core.

The Galactic Champions were not exempt from shock either.

Pikkon's eyes widened, never expecting Goku to possess the same ability as the Cell creature. What was more startling, is that he proved that he could slip past the protective barrier that kept all other forces beyond the Kais from coming and going from Other Space into the Universe of the living, scared him more than he would ever admit.

Rao, the Konatsian Wizard, felt his jaw open for the first time since arriving at the unusually crowded spectacle. Had he just witnessed a magic technique? No, through thoroughly analysis of the dimensional frequency around himself, it definitely was a Ki technique. How could he have not learned of such a power? He was certain, almost positive, he had acquired knowledge of over every variant of Ki power capable of entities within Other World. How could he have missed this one?

Aosai was enamored, and shocked, at the same time. Every time she saw the man do something that appeared utterly foolish, he'd turn around and do something spectacular to outweigh the silliness of his earlier antics. Each time he defied reasoning and logic that has been upheld for countless ages and generations, just proved how fearless and bold he was in the face of adversity. With a wry smile, she knew that he became _her type_, whether he knew it or not.

Even those observing from the back were in complete awe and murmuring nervousness. What Goku had just done was nigh taboo, crossing from the realm of the dead to the realm of the living. Wasn't it? After all, no one had ever conceived the idea that people other than the gods, the Kais themselves, could pass from Other Space to the Universe's domain, until now. Was Goku...something more than a mere deceased mortal?

Grandpa Gohan, among the others that sat the closest, couldn't help but smile warmly. Goku took his words to heart and had taken charge to fulfill his duties as a father and a husband. As he saw the grown foster child of his taken this step of maturity forward, it made his old heart finally feel at peace that he could be the one to have steered him in the right direction.

"I'm proud of you, Goku," Gohan spoke with a solemn, contented tone, as he bowed his head and smiled compassionately, "thank you...for taking that step forward...in becoming a man I knew you were meant to be."

* * *

"W-What is the meaning of this?!" Cell's voice uttered aloud in disbelief from the heights he hovered within. He felt a brief crackling wind from Goku's awakened energies, buffeting the crimson miasma covered skies, before ceasing to be felt or seen all-together. It confounded Cell that Goku's energy would just suddenly vanish, unless...

"Instant Transmission?" Cell whispered, wrapping a hand around his chin, as he calmed down from his previously alarmed state of mind. He pondered, and he realized that he himself was within Other Space, near the debris of the North Kai's planet. He himself used Instant Transmission to go back to Earth, thanks to the lingering energies of Gohan's still projecting just as strong as they were this day.

"So, that's the key, isn't it? Lock onto a strong enough energy source on the _other side_, and Instant Transmission can be used to transmit yourself from one dimension into the next. Practicality would most likely be useful if one had a real body," Cell audibly analyzed aloud, looking up at the accursed golden halo, hovering above his crest a mere foot in the air, "as long as I am bound to this world, I probably have a fixated amount of time I can spend in another realm. I must find a way to get that body, and the only way to do so, is through the Tournament..."

Creasing his brows down into a frustrated frown Cell looked around Hell's desolate and dried landscape, as the real question came to his mind, "Now...how can I cover the gap between Goku's new power...and my own?"

* * *

"He's on Earth?! Impossible! How did he escape this wretched world?! THAT BLASTED MONKEY!" Frieza grasped the ball with his hands, shaking it with both incredulous rage and frustration.

"Calm down, son," King Cold sighed, rolling his eyes at his youngest son's antics, wishing he'd leave alone their only form of safe entertainment, "who cares if this Super Saiyan went to Earth? Its not like the Kais will leave him there for long, right?"

"You don't understand, father!" Frieza snarled as he released the orb, turning on his heels to throw his arms towards his lax father, leaning on his side on a carved piece of stone into a makeshift large couch, "if Goku can come and go from this world whenever he wants, then it wouldn't matter if we get our bodies back! He can always come and ruin our plans, appearing for a second long enough to crack our necks, and then come back here! The blasted gods here wouldn't give a damn either! In fact I bet they'd endorse such a plan of attack on our persons!"

"Son, if you just leave Earth alone when you're revived, then it won't be a problem," Cold grumbled, wishing Frieza's fanatic obsession with the Saiyans and Earth would be put to bed. Ever since they arrived on Hell, they have been tormented by Bardock and his family of mutual Super Saiyans. Quite frankly, the former head of the Planet Trade Company and royal member of the Arcosian Race was starting to grow fed up by his sons' antics, and wishing to just enjoy the peace and quiet they could afford during the year-long period.

"FATHER! STOP SITTING ON YOUR ASS AND HELP ME PLAN VENGEANCE AGAINST THESE ARROGANT CREATURES!" Frieza bellowed out, his body quaking with indignation and rage at his father's refusal to reclaim their honor. His red eyes fixated on Cold's cold, burgundy ones, as his teeth bared at the older Frost Demon, as he huffed out with barely controlled anger, "if you do not help me, then you are nothing but a burden beneath my he-"

**SLAP!** Frieza would find himself unable to process what happened. His father, having been laying on his side, looking completely lax, would swing out his hulking arm with such grace and precision, that the youngest of the family of three wouldn't see it before striking the left side of his face. The force sent him sprawling across their pit of a home, and crashing into the wall, cementing him vertically upside down and in place.

"Do not mistake my current demeanor as one of laziness, Frieza," Cold's voice broke across the air, causing the currently pinned son's eyes to widen with fear as chills raced down his spine. A black aura of dark, menacing energy oozed out of the Frost Demon's pores like unquenchable flames, as his eyes glowed brightly, with shadows outlining his immense and stalwart form. Walking forth, his voice continued to reprimand and chide, but holding a much more lower monotone that struck memorable chords of fear down the Arcosian's spine, "unless you understand your position in this family, let me make it clear. You are the one who lost to the last remaining member of a race you intended on destroying, despite my protests against it. It is you, not I, who is responsible for the literal Hell we are in. Had you not have given into your childish paranoia and fears of the mythical legend, then it would have stayed that way."

Grappling his child's face, he leaned close enough so his whisper could taint Frieza's skin, as the Frost Demon's eyes were locked onto his father's, "I'm through with your temper tantrums, your constant bravado, and your hollow sense of pride in our family's honor. As far as I'm concerned, your elder brother should have been the one ruling the Empire, not you, had I had to decision to change my mind."

"F-Father, I-" Frieza tried to croak out, but found his head grappled with an inhuman grip, pushing his body as a whole further into the hardened sediment of their pit-carved home.

"Speak of the Saiyans, Earthlings, or any of your nonsensical wanton for vengeance, and I'll show you a Hellish existence far more agonizing and painful than the Super Saiyans have ever preformed on your body. Are we clear, son?" Cold snarled out in a dark tone, as his grip increased in tension, the longer Frieza stalled an answer to his only parent.

"I-I-I will...I promise...just...stop...the...pain...aaaaagh!" Frieza squealed pitifully, as he struggled to breathe from the force exerted on his body, feeling the squeeze of his father's telekinesis work in sync with his own physical grip on his skull. After a brief instant of bodily pain, he felt himself flung from the indented wall and into the ground with a heavy crunch.

"See that you do not forget who's the strongest member of our family, Frieza," Cold sneered, as he took heavy steps pass his son, his aura defusing and his demeanor relaxing once more. He closed his eyes as he leaned back on his stone slabbed bed, exhaling with relief, as he allowed himself to relax in momentary silence.

Frieza glared heatedly at his father, loathing the now astronomical threat he faced in speaking of his machinations any further. He looked around, trying to see Cooler's smug grin form from the shadows. But, to his genuine surprise, the quieter of the siblings had ceased to be proximate to them, and even disappeared from sight.

"Where's that piss-faced brother of mine?!" Frieza hissed lowly, wondering what his brother could be up to.

* * *

Cooler had indeed left the proximity of his family, but he wasn't very far.

Standing upon the precipice of a distant cliff, overshadowing the dark pit they called a home, he reached out with his senses to feel the vibrations and the ferocity of the battle's elongation. Though not as good at sensing things as other entities, Cooler had long sense acquired the ability during his brief span of life when he confronted Goku in their climactic showdown on Earth.

But at the sudden distant outcry of his brother and the significant void of presence that Goku had within Other Space, caused Cooler to truly wonder the significance of Goku's technique. He had only briefly seen it during his battle with Goku, and that was only sparingly, having used it to defeat him utterly, when he had the upper hand in their battle.

Now that it was confirmed to transmit past the magical barrier that surrounds this dimension from all others, Cooler knew that the key to winning the Tournament, was mastering a technique exactly the same or similar to Goku's: The Instant Transmission technique.

"_I have no time to be idle any longer,_" Cooler thought to himself, as he stretched his senses out across the endless, ghastly wasteland that was hell, in order to find a clue to his rightfully claimed victory, "_I must seek out another way to empower myself. If not by mastering the 5th Form...then by another alternative form of means. It may have to be unorthodox...but I have little to no choice left in this matter!_"

With a brief flourishing blast of violet energy, Cooler rocked himself into the red-black skies of Hell and zoomed off into the horizon. With a new goal in mind, he determined he and no other would be the victor of this Tournament. He'd have his vengeance, and attain the title of strongest warrior of the Universe. It was his destiny, and he'd crush any who stood in his way.

Even Son Goku.

* * *

"Kakarot?!" Raditz's eyes shot open, feeling the wafting energies rock the planet's surface, all the way to the depths of Hell's landscape from which he trained upon. It felt as if he could feel every iota of Goku's newfound power and rage, immersed within a searing hot vortex of sheer power that expanded and ballooned across the entirety of Other World.

"No!" Raditz, having been on the verge of collapse trying to control his immense power, had started to snap. With a growl, his body flexed and projected a powerful golden aura of pure energy.

"NO! NO! NO! NO!" Raditz gritted his teeth, trying to pull up all the power he could muster to the surface. He wanted to show Goku that he wasn't special. He wanted to show him, how he was the better, how as older brother he was supposed to best him. With him reaching another plateau of power, Raditz aimed to climb even higher.

_**VRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!**_ A maelstrom of destructive energy burst form from Raditz's core, turning into a twister of fire, transmuted by his own aura, with his body at the epicenter. His titanic frame of bulging veins and rippling muscles began to crack as if he was made of stone. From within the fissures of his skin burst forth a sizzling light, one that began to overcome his being with a dazzling vibrant aura. His hair went completely vertical and turned pure white with a golden outline, as his eyes glowed with the same hue.

With a final cry of outrage, Raditz let loose his power all in one blast, "I WILL CRUSH YOU, KAKAROT!"

And then, his whole world went into a blazing fireball of light...

* * *

**A minute ago...**

"Wow," Hanassia uttered as her widened eyes blink a few times, witnessing Goku's power unleashed upon Other World like a ominous wind, filled with his unstable Super Saiyan 2 energies. And as brief as it occurred, he disappeared, and surprisingly, reappeared in front of their eyes, slugging Bojack in the face with a wrath-filled fist, as he protected his Earth-born family.

"Huh, well what do you know? Kakarot's feelings allowed him to break through this accursed world," Bardock spoke with a smile, envying his youngest son for having such a strong, passionate heart, and being capable of reaching his family and protecting them.

"Obviously he's been hiding a technique from us during these six months," Hanassia creased her brows into a irritated frown, crossing her arms as she leaned back against her stone-carved seat.

"Come to think of it, if he used that technique in his training, I can see how it would hold him back. He's been purposely trying to train his stamina this whole time. Amazing," Bardock analyzed with a smile of his own.

However, a thunderous explosion would jerk their attentions away from the sizzling orb of Inter-Dimensional broadcast coming from Earth. Far off into the horizon, the place where they felt Raditz training intensely, had suddenly exploded, with Raditz at its epicenter. Unlike the last explosion however, its light continued to stretch out into a swirling vortex of yellow-white flames, threatening to overtake their mountain-top home in a matter of seconds.

"What the Hell, Raditz-?!" Hanassia's voice hissed out, overwhelmed by the ferocity of the explosion rushing their way.

Bardock, however, didn't hesitate an instant, as he roared out as his body became enraptured with the state of the Super Saiyan 2 form, cracking the ground of the mountain top within an instant.

"STAND BACK, HANASSIA!" Bardock growled out, as he leaped towards the rolling inferno, that burnt everything to ash in its wake. Stretching out his hands, he slammed his palms into the massive wall of spiraling flames of the maelstrom of Super Saiyan energies. Growling out, Bardock strained against the ominous force of death, threatening to destroy the home they had worked so hard in preserving. He didn't want a single temper tantrum by his eldest son ruin it!

"RRRRRRRRR!" Bardock flexed his aura out, discharging a wave of electrical pulses, stemming from his arms and into the force of yellow-white energy, slowly but surely pushing it back and containing its energies. His muscles bulged and his skin perforated with bulging veins, with even sweat coming down his brow from the exertion he had to place into nullifying the firestorm just inches from his hands.

"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" With a loud Kiai, Bardock sent compressed the flames back towards its source, nullifying the entirety of the blast that had but moments threatened to envelop his home along with himself and his wife.

Heaving from the exertion, he allowed his aura to defuse, not before wincing with pain. With a look of alarm, he raised up shaking hands, blackened with third degree burns and still crackling from the sheer force he had narrowly subdued.

"W-What kind of power did you find, Raditz?!" Bardock whispered aloud, as he looked into the horizon where the blast emanated. He now knew that Raditz had found some trigger to force a wellspring of power to the surface. Even though it had cost him his life, it was a force that Bardock could barely subdue with his own two hands, at his maximum strength.

Should Raditz harness this force, Bardock knew that Raditz would become a force to be reckoned with, in the coming days...

* * *

It didn't take long for Goku to return after his dynamic awakening and exit of Other Space.

Mere moments after Bojack was eliminated by Vegeta through a magnanimous display of raw Super Saiyan might, Goku had his farewells to his family, as the Halo began to whisk his body back to the Grand Kai's planet, directly in the spot where he disappeared from.

When he opened his eyes, his body relaxed its aura and his unstable energies were defused, released in a dramatic sigh from the weary deceased Saiyan. Turning his gaze around, he blinked with shock, as he saw that every eye on the Grand Kai's planet. It was the most comical thing, as they saw Goku reappear before them in such a more peaceful manner than what he left in.

"Nice for you to join us, Goku," Grand Kai smiled wryly, munching on some of his popcorn, as he looked over at the dumbfounded Kais, sweating nervously at what they witnessed. Shrugging it off, the Grand Kai nodded to the TV screen, as it began to retract back into the enormous mansion of his, "anywho, as fun as it was seeing you go give Bojack a clear knock into his noggin', I'd like for you to keep unannounced visits to your world to be kept to a minimum, ya know?"

"Oh yeah, sorry about that, haha!" Goku chuckled with a knowing laugh, scratching the back of his head, causing the majority of onlookers, including the Kais to fall onto their backs in exaggeration.

Pikkon narrowed his eyes at Goku with mixed feelings. He knew that the man was fully devoted to protecting those he cared about, his passion empowering him to a level few ever had. In his Galaxy, passion encouraged hatred and acts of despicable debauchery to ensue. Discipline, focus, and restraint is what led his principle of life and in death. Its what allowed him to reach such a pinnacle of strength and be heralded as a champion of his quadrant of the Universe. So why...could he not despise Goku for blatantly breaking the laws of Other World to rescue his family from Bojack?

Rao couldn't help but smile softly, but didn't express his enthusiasm openly. Truly, the last time since he saw such a cheerful person with such passion for justice and love for family was his own disciples. His thoughts drifted of Minotia and Tapion, the two boys sealed at opposite edges of the Universe's perimeter. He could only pray to the Supremes that they remain in blissful stasis and remain forever untouched by evil. Until then, he'd stay in Other World and be ready to be used at the Grand Kai's need whenever that may be.

Aosai became totally infatuated with this Son Goku upon his arrival. Despite his naive, childish demeanor he often flops onto, the sheer passion, vigor, and heartfelt power he projected when he saw evil and responded to it in kind, had stolen her heart. Having been bereft of the opportunity to mate properly within her own lifetime, she now felt a sense of yearning she hadn't felt in centuries. She could only plan and wait for a golden opportunity now, so that she could confess her feelings to him, and hopefully, allow them to be returned by the fetching legendary Saiyan.

King Kai's reaction, however, was quickly recovered as he sat up ontop of his floating seat, waving his arms with indignation and rage, "ARE YOU INSANE?! BRAIN DEAD?! NUMB SKULL! DO YOU REALIZE HOW MANY RULES YOU BROKE BY LEAVING THE OTHER SPACE?! HUH?!"

"Uh...no, King Kai I don't," Goku scratched his chin, blankly staring at his mentor with confusion, blinking a few times as he asked, "how many did I break?"

"Don't mind him, Goku, he's the only one who keeps count," the Grand Kai interrupted with a toothy smile. The comment caused the other Kais to laugh in mockery, which quickly followed all the contenders to laugh along with them. Within a matter of seconds, King Kai sagged his head, as he felt as if he had been subjugated to the worse kind of humiliation.

"Forget about it," King Kai said weakly, as he slumped onto his chair, allowing the event they all had attended to, come to a close in a chorus of laughter.

* * *

**3 Months Later...**

_Things had quieted down in Other World within the wake of the climax of the Intergalactic Tournament, broadcasted on Grand Kai's Planet and interwoven within the "Broadcast Balls" throughout Other World. Everyone went back to the usual routines of training and anticipating the upcoming competition of the ages that was to be held within a mere several months._

_Upon Goku's request, he insisted on training the rest of the half year with his family, despite the insistence from King Kai to train on the Grand Kai's planet. Respecting his decision, the Grand Kai allowed him his wish. His other request being the ability to stay a whole hour with his family during his newborn child's birth. Despite being cautious to allow someone of Other World to enter the living Universe so soon, the Grand Kai thought it prudent for someone as earnest and pure-hearted as Goku to be given the opportunity. _

_While Goku intensified his training underneath his father and mother's watchful eyes, his brother continued to train alone in the wilderness of No Man's Land. During this period of three months, the boiling point had been reached for a particular being. One of whom had tried every avenue of self-improvement, and decided to seek out an old face, familiar to his memories alone. _

_Little did he know of how expected he was..._

* * *

"So, this is the place?" Cell mused aloud, as his feet touched the ground with a metallic squeak.

Standing before the mouth of a large cave, he had wandered around for a certain man's location for the past week, searching for clues of his whereabouts from the various denizens familiar with Hell's layout. He came across a place called the Bloody Peaks, which happened to be named as such for the tendency of blood being soaked into the sediment of the minerals and turning it into a burgundy colored mountain range. It also happened to smell deplorable, especially to those with heightened senses of smell, making it a good place for someone to hide in privacy.

But Cell wasn't affected by such things. What he could be affected by, were the numerous mechanical devices lining around the mouth of the cave, appearing to be special traps of various sorts for specific entities that tread too closely.

Because of the person he was looking for, he knew it'd be pointless to storm in and intimidate the man. After all, the relationship between them was as close as father to son would be, as far as Cell was concerned.

"Doctor Gero!" Cell magnified his voice, bellowing it into the mouth of the cave, and causing it to echo into the empty space of the hollowed out cave, "I wish to acquire your services!"

A brief silence ensued, before a rapid series of steps were heard deep within, growing slower as the person in question neared the entrance. As light began to shed upon the infamous creator of the Red Ribbon Androids, Cell would be graced for the first time to see Doctor Gero in all of his mortal form's appearance.

Wearing a white labcoat, dirtied and stained with rust colored blood from the sediment of the surrounding earth, along with a black suit jacket and a pair of black-white slacks, finished by a pair of dress shoes. His grey-bearded, bald-top-head, and long white hair appeared about the same age as when he transformed himself into a cyborg, with all the signs of wrinkled age enamoring his crystal clear blue eyes.

"C-Cell?!" Dr. Gero's eyes widened upon seeing his creation in the flesh. His mouth gaped and his hands reached out towards his immaculate piece of art and death, wrapped up within a dead pool of genetic data and ingenious bio-machinery. Daring not touch the proud warrior and errant of destruction, he looked up to gaze into Cell's scarlet eyes, as the being responded in kind, with a smile of satisfaction gracing his pale complexioned face.

"Hello, _father_," Cell spoke, using the term with a tinge of familiarity, knowing the dear doctor would approve the tone of which he spoke to him, "it took me a lot longer than I thought to track you down. I was wondering if we could have a chat about my...Perfect Body."

"Of course, my child! Please come in!" Doctor Gero beckoned Cell in, waving his hands briefly over a mirror attached to the wall, disarming the sensors that would trigger an automatic attack upon Cell's person. With that out of the way, he walked with his back hunched over, as Cell's footsteps echoed ominously within the caves that had been hollowed out with meticulous care.

"When I heard that blasted Goku had been deceased, I felt my heart beat with joy to hear it was your doing," Gero spoke with a wicked smile as he looked over his shoulder, as they approached a laboratory, massive within scope and covered with a series of man-made machinery and intricately created tools to allow everything for it to be built, "it was only a shame you couldn't finish the rest of them off. Ah well, I guess I can't get everything I want."

"Glad to get straight to business," Cell spoke in a serious tone, though kept a diplomatically charming smile on. He wanted to make a good enough impression with the dear doctor, to get what he aimed for.

The brilliant deceased man, having been responsible for many evils, turned around as he leaned against a workbench, smiling toothily as he examined his cunning creation of his own deranged machinations, "And what may that be, my prodigal creation?"

"I've come to ask that you give me the means to strengthen my body to face against the strongest of the contenders in the upcoming Other World Tournament," Cell spoke matter-of-fact, then added a hint of excitement in his voice, to further entire the maddening mind of his creator, as he gestured with his arms in harmonious synchronous rhythm with his voice's inflections, "if you give me the enhancements that I desire, I can assure you that when I have acquired the gift of life to this Perfect Form of mine, I will carry out the purpose of my design as you always intended: Universal Annihilation! Everything will be laid to waste until nothing is left, and until I am the sole being that resides within the epicenter of all creation, all in your very name, father!"

Throughout his whole speech, Dr. Gero allowed his smile to crease his wrinkled visage with a delighted smile, glad to know how alike he thought when it concerned his goals and the purposes he instilled within his creations. He only wished that the twins had been more cooperative, so that he could have witnessed Goku's death with his own eyes, rather than through word of mouth within the bowels of the afterlife. However, it had been satisfying to hear the quaking shockwaves reach Hell, as Cell's explosion ripped apart the Northern Kai's planet and killed him, along with his dreaded enemy, Son Goku.

The doctor would let out an amused laugh of pleasure, upon hearing Cell's proposal and what he desired from him. But after he smiled, his demeanor defused into that of a serious, and frank visage, "I cannot give you what you ask, my _child_."

"Why?" Cell asked pointedly, his smile immediately revering to a frown, as he glared at his creator and projected a visual demand for an answer.

"Simply put, your design is flawless and perfect in every way and form. You possess all of the abilities of Goku, his enemies, and his allies. You even been granted further power, as I have heard, from your near-death encounter with Goku himself. However, I cannot add onto what is already perfect in nature," Gero explained matter-of-fact.

"So you're saying there is no other way around it, but find a way to break through my limitations on my own, is there?" Cell spoke with a dissatisfied, yet understanding tone, crossing his arms over his muscular, camo-colored chest.

"I'm sorry I can't help you, especially since you're so _earnest_ in continuing my life's work," The elderly deceased scientist spoke with a tone of regret, waving his arm out towards the exit, "but perhaps, you can make use of one of the stronger brutes within this dreary world? Surely if you got enough of a...workout...from antagonizing one of them, you're surely to get the boost of power you sorely crave."

Cell narrowed his eyes upon that has been said. Now that he thought about it, there was a stronger denizen of Hell that came through, along with a squad of his cohorts. Yes, perhaps he could do it, Cell hypothesized.

With a dark smile and a nod to his creator, Cell spoke, "I shall endeavor to find a way to evolve to an even higher state. Wish me luck, Doctor Gero!"

Within a pointed gesture of his hand to his forehead, Cell's body shimmered out of view, and back into the wastelands of Hell, off to seek out the one that had been suggested and remembered.

As the prodigal masterpiece of his left, however, the cave didn't descend into silence.

"Are you going to leave me strapped here or what?" An irritated low voice spoke from within. Within the dark outlines, one could tell the denizen and patient in question wasn't human, but the shadowed outlines of his form was hidden by the poor lighting within the laboratory. Having been well hidden within the far corner of the Doctor's lab, concealing his identity.

"Patience, my dear patient," Doctor Gero spoke in a low tone, as he approached the table and began to arrange the necessary tools for the procedure, "while you may be one of my most finest works of art yet, Cell is my ultimate creation. There is no guarantee that your incredible fortitude will allow you to sustain the pain of this procedure. No man has been ever capable of withstanding the total re-mapping of the body's physiology..."

"I'll have you know, Doctor, that I am no man. Pain is something I am adapted to handle," the entity spoke lowly, going as far as to glare at the scientist who dared to question his endurance.

"Not pain like this," Dr. Gero insisted, as he charged up the special surgical tool in one hand, before applying it to the denizen's left arm first.

It wouldn't be but an hour later, till muffled screams echoed the entirety of the cave, and would continue throughout the elongated, painful procedure.

* * *

Unfortunately, Goku was not exempt from being in a painless environment either.

For the past several months, Goku had been subject for one more month of Bardock's month-straight battle sparring session, and two of his mother's daily inventive torturous exercises. The one he had been subjected to today, in his mind, was by far one of the torturous and painful ones that Hanassia had thought up to this date, or so he believed.

The Saiyan warrior found himself balanced precariously on the tip of a seven foot tall needle on his right index finger tip, doing push-ups, and have been doing so for the last six hours. His body was lathered with sweat, his arm burned from the constant discharge and balancing flow of Ki to his finger's skin, to keep the precariously balanced metal protrusion stabbed into the ground from stabbing into him or cause himself to fall over. Goku had never subjected himself to such intense training before when he was alive, and almost felt guilty for not pushing himself hard enough to compete with his parents.

"That's it, Kakarot! Just another five hours and you can switch to the other finger!" His mother called out, as she pressed her own thumb on a needle identical to Goku's, showing a bit exertion on her own, but being far more tempered in comparison to her tail-less son. Having stripped herself of her battle armor to not burden herself, she only wore a pair black tank-top and a pair of black leggings. Her tail wrapped tightly around her exposed waistline, as her defined muscular body flexed and pumped up and down on the pair of needles, as she tried to keep herself a step ahead of her child.

"C-C-Can't...I...take...a...break...in...five...ho urs?!" Goku asked with an exasperated tone, as he tried to keep himself speaking sparingly with each pump of his right arm, so he wouldn't lose momentum that he had worked to build within the first hour of his training, "I...don't...think...I...can...go...much...further ...in...this...state..."

"That's the point, Kakarot!" Hanassia implored, as she turned her hair-drooped head to look behind herself at Goku, smiling upside down as she regarded her son, "I believe that while training in your Super Saiyan forms can increase the strength of the base form, I believe mastering your muscle and energy control in your base state is equally as important. Think how much easier you'll be able to take down these experienced fighters when your body has already been mastered to a higher degree than any of them had even dared to attempt."

"B-But...haven't...they...trained...for...hundreds ...of...years...longer...than...any...of...us?" Goku inquired, as he continued to pump up and down in sync with his brief gasps of air and words he uttered. He swore he could feel sweat evaporating around his finger, as it crawled down his body from the immense force of gravity within Hell, before fully steaming off his exposed skin, from the unimaginable heat emanating within the atmosphere.

"That's the problem with training longer than you've been alive, Kakarot! You develop a system and become relaxed, never truly breaking any limitations that you've set for yourself. That's what happens to even the most battle-born entities that have passed on a long time ago. Most of these beings that have been training for hundreds to even thousands of years failed to comprehend the importance of pushing yourself past your limitations. The only shame is that none our kindred have even tried to take advantage of pushing their bodies beyond their limits, while they've been cooped up within Hell," Hanassia spoke aloud with knowledge and audible resentment when she spoke of the other Saiyans.

"So...you...and...the...other...Saiyans...don't... get...along...I...gather?" Goku inquired, changing subjects, trying not to dwell on the obvious fact that his competition could be a lot more skilled than he was, even if they were more relaxed with their current limitations.

"Two words. King Vegeta," Hanassia spoke out with a growl in her voice, pushing up and down on the needle edges, her body sparking a bit from the intensity of how much energy she projected at this point.

"What?! There's...another...Vegeta...here...too?!" Goku asked with surprise in his voice, barely keeping his balance, while he asked his mother of this _other_ Vegeta.

"You can probably thank that insufferable, proud bastard for the downfall of our race!" Hanassia spoke with a resentful, dark tone, as she kept up her routine, her body steaming from the amount of sweat gathering across the exposed surface of her skin, "he's the one who made the deal with Frieza and his race, the Arcosians. They gave us more advanced technology, upgraded our standard of living, and gave us spacecraft to traverse across the Universe, plunder entire worlds and kill in his name, so that they could be sold to other rich species or overlords, so they may inhabit them. That is, however, the one system that led our children to die in the thousands."

"What...did...Frieza...have...you...do...with...th e...children?" Goku asked, daring to find out what despicable acts he commenced upon the Saiyans while corrupting their proud culture.

"It was simple. We'd send children off to distant planets with above average to high power levels. By the time they'd reach the planet, your instincts would guide you, and any equipment packed in the space pod would be enough to craft your own armor, give you a temporary ration of supplies, and allow you to grow up with only one goal in mind: Destroy the entire planet's populace. Do it within a number of years, you could expect one of our warriors to be dropped upon the planet to pick you up and bring you back home, to be taught and trained in the arts of combat, heritage, honor, and what it truly means to be a Saiyan. It worked...for some more than others," Hanassia spoke lowly, her voice dropping a notch as she began to lapse into silence.

"It...sounds...like...this...system...only...worke d...for...the...lucky...kids...rather...than...for ...all...of them...," Goku spoke in a presumptuous tone, knowing that such a system didn't make the children invincible or guarantee their survival. There were many times, even as a trained child, where he felt as if he would be capable of dying within the heat battle, even with his natural physical prowess being well above the finest warriors, he was always met with challenges that could have easily destroy him.

His encounter with Raditz taught him as much.

"It killed more of our children than it did breed powerful warriors!" Hanassia snarled aloud, her body becoming instantly enraptured in a silver aura of her own Ki, as her teeth gritted with raw anger, "in a matter of two decades, our race was reduced from hundreds of millions to tens of millions. By the time you were born, our race was a fraction of its original populace, and it was only a matter of time till our usefulness would be dried up, by both our illustrious King and the tyrant who pulled his strings from the shadows!"

"M-Mom...please...calm...down!" Goku tried to keep pumping his body upon the tall needle, but felt himself in sudden danger, as the pressure exerted from Hanassia's bodily wrapped aura was now threatening to topple himself over.

Hanassia growled, as she realized she began to lose herself to her own rage. The miasma of Hell did little to quell the burning anger in her heart, as a daily reminder of her regretable actions, and the results of what brought her to the afterlife in the first place. As she calmed her aura and her breathing, she resumed her pumping movements from her thumbs. Sparking energy crackled around her finger tips, as she resumed her talk, "I swear...this Tournament is going to show just how weak our race is! If I get a chance to face that so-called King of ours, I'm going to crush his skull beneath my feet!"

"Hey...just...a...thought...how...about...you...ta ke...a...break?" Goku asked, hoping that he didn't have to train so close to his volatile mother. If anything was proven within the last nine months of training with her, he knew that her temper dwarfed any that his father had been shown, and would often be the focal point of her unforgiving rage.

"Nice try, Kakarot, but I'm not nearly through yet," Hanassia chuckled with a humored tone, issuing a moan from her son, as she continued to push herself up and down on the elongated needles, "I'm pushing myself twice as hard as my son. It'd be a disgrace if I stopped less than the halfway mark!"

Goku sighed with a belated exhale of exhaustion. Unlike his parents, he never enjoyed the training that pushed him to the brink of death and even abuse the ability to come back infinitely beyond the ability of keeping count. If only his parents took a few breaks, they could enjoy their progress without being so hellbent on keeping themselves occupied.

However, Goku would find his prayers answered by the most unexpected face.

"Hey, big man," a purring, feminine voice whispered behind him, recognizable, from the event several months ago, "it looks someone's been working hard."

Bending his head down, Goku's eyes inadvertently started to look at the woman in question from the feet up. With bare feet, with only golden ornaments clasped just above her ankles, a transparent silk skirt flowed vibrantly over her exposed blue legs, all the way up to her thighs. A pair of black-red bikini shorts were present upon upper thighs and lower regions, up to the top of the glistening skirt tied around her lower waistline. From her exposed, ocean blue navel upwards resided a glittering crimson sash over her expansive chest, leaving her arms and shoulders bare, save for identical upper clasps of golden design. Wearing inverted triangle earrings of similar crafting, the Herasian's silky smooth orange hair was let loose over her shoulders and down her back, all the way to her heels, as her emerald eyes batted with mischief and alluring pull towards Goku's onyx irises.

Unfortunately, the affect was lost to Goku, as his eyes went straight up to her face within a matter of a couple seconds. Instant recognition, however, would earn a wide smile from the steaming and sweating Saiyan, as he saw a sight for sore eyes hovering behind him.

"AH! Aosai! Its...nice...to...see...you," Goku spoke aloud with a strained tone of genuine pleasure to see the fellow Galactic Champion from the Eastern Galaxy.

"I see you've been at it for awhile," Aosai spoke pointedly, as she looked down at the planted metal protrusion, leading all the way up to Goku's finger, earning an amused grin as she noticed Goku's mother pumping on a similar pair of needles, "when was the last time you had a break?"

"B-Break? Are...you...kidding? The...closest...thing...I...have...to...a...break. ..is...when...I...switch...off...from...one...pare nt...to...the...other...before...going...at...it again," Goku spoke exasperatedly, training his eyes up at Aosai's dazzling eyes, allowing him to work off his exhaustion with a slight renewal of energy from within. Something about the woman's presence being unfamiliar and welcome was a nice change from the bitterness that welled up within his parents' hearts and were often inadvertently taken out on him during training.

"Well...how about you take a break for the rest of the day, just this once, so that you and I can spend some time together. What do you say?" Aosai smiled, batting her eyes flirtatiously at Goku.

Goku frowned, briefly bowing his head back to see his mother still pumping vigorously on her own needles not too far away, before looking back at Aosai, "I'm not sure my current teacher would appreciate that too much-"

"We're going to a beautiful mountainside in Heaven! I'll make sure to drain the tension from your muscles and make you feel like a new man," Aosai spoke swiftly, trying to entice the stubborn Saiyan warrior. Additionally, she propped a finger up with a knowing smile, as she added in finality, "I'll even cook you a gourmet meal, worthy of a Super Saiyan's appetite!"

**Food.**

That one thought suddenly pricked to the frontal lobes of his brain, and overrode any implications of leaving his mother's training regiment so suddenly, were completely wiped from his mind. With a swift nod of acceptance, Aosai clapped with a smile on her face, overjoyed that Goku had accepted her invitation. She had been planning this event for the past several months, and she now finally got the go-ahead from the man himself.

As she wrapped her arm delicately around the sweating man's midriff, she slowly pried his body away from the training instrument, just as her eyes met Hanassia's glaring ones.

"Where do you think you're going with MY son?" Hanassia growled, as her thumbs continued to pump her body up and down, as she glared daggers at the Herasian champion's emerald orbs.

"I'm giving him a well deserved day of relaxation. You don't mind, of course, right?" Aosai asked with a coy smile on her face, still holding Goku's laboriously breathing form with arm, upside down.

"The HELL I mind!" Hanassia snarled out viciously, her body immediately engulfed in a silver aura of energy, enough projected to crack and shatter the durable needles that she had been practicing upon,

"Well, too bad," Aosai spoke back to Hanassia, sticking out her tongue playfully, before waving back at her in mockery, "I'm taking your son on a date! Be back later!"

"HOLD IT YOU LITTLE-!" Hanassia stormed forth with a blind-eyed glare on her face, baring her teeth, as she rushed full force towards with her arms outstretched to tackle the mischivious Galactic Champion. However, her arms would only tackle air, as Aosai's body seemed to shimmer out of the air and disappear altogether. It left Hanassia both pissed and confused.

Where did Aosai take her son, and how did she evade her so effortlessly?!

* * *

Within a mere instant, Aosai and Goku's bodies appeared far above Hell's dark, clouded atmosphere, before arriving directly above the skyline of the golden clouded landscape of Heaven. The instantaneous movement reminded Goku of his Instant Transmission, but something of an entirely different projection. It felt more directed, and less about passing through the veils of matter and space to get to the desired location.

But the weightless atmosphere, beautiful view, and perfect temperature of Heaven caused Goku's mind to relax. Something about the way Heaven was made allowed his whole body feel comfortable, and even start to ease the tension out of his weary body. He didn't bother asking Aosai of how she did teleport away from his enraged mother, but rather, be thankful that she did.

"Think you can fly on your own, tough guy?" Aosai asked with a teasing smile, relaxing her hold on the vertically flopped form of the Saiyan, allowing him to right himself up in the air.

"Yeah, thanks," Goku sighed with relief, allowing his body to float in the air, as he exerted minimal necessary energy. Despite the change of scenery and atmosphere, he could still feel the strain his muscles had been going through for the past several weeks under Hanassia's watchful eyes, along with the brief break to undergo Bardock's ruthless sparring session for thirty days straight.

All in all, he needed the break as badly as a dehydrated man needed water in a desert.

"Follow me, Goku," Aosai said with a wink, her body enveloped in a curtain of sparkling emerald-white energy, before she shot off into the horizon, with Goku in tow.

As they traversed over Heaven, Goku began to see the reason why he didn't see any land masses where the endless sea of golden clouds hovered. Within a matter of seconds, Goku began to bear witness to islands, dozens of them, all of which hovered at various heights across the sky of Other World. Some of them held different pieces of cultural heritage, similar to how different territories within Hell had different memorable races, but with a big brighter and prouder appeal to them. From tall, glittering castles, to expansive cities, to bubble shaped containment centers, and even a variety of park-like islands were at various areas, filled with people of Heaven, conversing and enjoying each other's companies while being within a beautiful atmosphere.

Goku smiled, realizing why some people would be genuinely content within such a paradise.

"There!" Aosai slowed herself down quickly enough to point up towards a glittering mountain peak up ahead. To say it was gorgeous would be an understatement. The mountains all glittered as if they were culminated by diamonds and gems, casting a glistening vibrant glow to flow off its mineral surface, and into the crystal clear water flowing off the center of the mountains, flowing off the island mountainside's edge and into a large lake-filled island below. A small valley existed within the mountainside that held a field of short, trimmed grass and vibrant colored flowers.

The sight made Goku's eyes get lost in the colors, and almost didn't hear Aosai's voice beside him.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Aosai spoke with a radiant smile, met by a wide innocent one from Goku himself.

"It sure is! I can see why my grandpa would be happy being here," With a look of relief washing over his face, Goku felt a bit of peace enter his mind, knowing his surrogate grandfather had been staying in such a tranquil world.

"Heaven is a place where all those of noble deeds and golden hearts come to reside. The beauty reflected here is only mirrored by the kindness and thoughtfulness of the souls who live here," Aosai spoke with thoughtfulness, as she set her own eyes at the various islands surrounding the upcoming mountain-&-valley filled island that seemed to tower above most of the other floating islands.

"Yeah, sure is a nice place," Goku exhaled blissfully, as the two climbed up in height to the valley's edge, before they rested over a visibly prepared area. Within the center of a grass was a ring of vibrant colored flowers, seemingly all possessing colors and tones that complimented each other and visibly glittered when light touched their petals. Within the center of the grass clearing of nearly ten meters, two places were shown to have special preparation in general.

One closest to the river was a silk rug of rainbow colors, with various bottles of what could be assumed to be scented oils. The other nearest to the flower beds, was an elliptical aligned covered pile of food.

As Goku felt his mouth water at the scent of the literally heaven-made food, Aosai tutted with a wave of her hand as their feet touched the center of the grassy meadow, directly next to a pool of water the waterfall collected, before flowing off the island's edge into the lake below.

"Its never good to eat before your body's relaxed itself from tension," Aosai insisted, kneeling herself next to the rug patting her hand on the rug as she nodded her head to Goku's direction, "first, I'm going to massage and heal your body."

"Ah, that's thoughtful of you, Aosai! Thank you!" Goku spoke with a genuine smile on his face, as he kicked off his boots and nonchalantly pulled off his orange-&-blue gi shirt off, as he laid face first on the rug with a dramatic sigh, "alright...I'm ready..."

As Aosai began lathering her hands with various prepared oils and soothing liquid onto her hands, she couldn't help but feel her eyes drawn to his defined muscular body. Even the parts that were clothed, she could see incredible definition and toning within each curve and bulge of the large musculature body's form. It took all of her will power not to take advantage of the naive minded man, as her hands began to squeeze and lather Goku's body.

Throughout the whole process, Goku felt as if he was in physical paradise. His senses and nerves were all bundled up with each grab that Aosai's fingertips grappled, before being dispersed into a wave of relaxation and pleasure, issuing breathy moans of contentment. While the process only took a good forty five minutes, it felt like eternity before Aosai was satisfied all of the Saiyan's body was properly relaxed and fully unwound.

Aosai briefly washed her hands in the pool, hearing the defined cracks and movement of the Saiyan behind her, as he marveled at her handiwork.

"Wow! I can't believe how great I feel! You weren't kidding when you said you'd make a new man out of me, haha!" Goku spoke with gratitude, feeling ten times better than he had when he arrived in Other World three quarters of a year ago. He swore if he had more than a day of this kind of relaxation, he might totally forget about training and keep doing this forever!

"One of the few skills I managed to retain past combat proficiency was medical knowledge of most races within the Universe," Aosai spoke with a proud tone, smiling as she used her energy to dry her hands, wiping them of the fresh liquid as she walked over to Goku's standing form, as he stretched his body in various angles, testing the new flexibility he felt from his massage session, "that includes the ability to relax them into a state of blissful contentment, as well as heal them from various types of physical and mental traumas."

"You're really something else, Aosai! I guess they named you Galactic Champion of your galaxy for a reason, huh?" Goku smiled as he crossed his arms over his chest, speaking with sincere admiration for the woman standing in front of her.

Aosai briefly blushed a tinge of pink along her face, taking a few of her bangs across her forehead and tucking them behind her knife-angled ear, "Its nothing compared to your exploits. You managed to defeat some of the Universe's worse entities, and even done battle with a creature who rivaled Bojack's power and cunning. You even passed through the veil of Other Space!"

"Yeah well, I just did what came naturally and what I've been taught to do. No big deal really," Goku scratched his chin with a lopsided grin, causing Aosai to bat her eyes curiously at his demeanor of humility and casual informality.

Shaking her head, she knelt near the enormous pile of food, hidden from sight by the linen cloth. Grasping one part of the cloth, she whipped the covering dramatically, showing an enormous stack of food of various kinds: Meats that were fried, broiled, and tenderized; Fruits of various colors, shapes, and sizes; Cakes, Cookies, and Ornately crafted deserts of various origins. Even a large salad was prepared with various dressings and toppings lathered within the small leafy forest of edible greens.

Goku's heart skipped a few beats.

He was in the presence of one of the most impressive spreads of all time. It even rivaled the food that Chi-Chi would prepare, and that was saying something, coming from a man who thoroughly enjoyed his wife's food. It wasn't but a few moments that all thoughts of conversing with the beautiful woman next to him disappeared, as his body lunged towards the pile of food and began to inhale large portions within a matter of seconds.

Only one thing was on Goku's mind at that point: Food, glorious FOOD!

* * *

**CLAK!**

A brief landing had brought Cell to a particular location, not too far away from a desolated landscape.

Even though Bojack had entered Hell around the same time as his subordinates, they all had began to designate a certain area within the middle of No-Man's Land to be their turf. This also meant any poor denizen who accidentally wandered into their encampment, would suffer a painful and excruciatingly brutal demise.

This, however, had no affect of fear on Cell. His sense of superiority and his objective in mind, would not allow him to be bullied or turned away, not even the likes of a physical rival such as Bojack and his men.

As his feet noisily approached a barren, carved throne at the top of a rubble-constructed hill, one of Bojack's Galaxy Soldiers approached him first, stopping him dead in his tracks.

"Leave now, bug man, or I'm going to rip off that stupid hat of yours off your head!" Bido snarled, crackling his knuckles against each other, as he smiled a malicious grin towards him.

Cell had observed the man's tactics via the televised fight. He preferred using brute strength and endurance to win his battles, as well as employed a sadistic mindset when torturing the likes of those much weaker than himself. Cell had no time to waste with such an uninteresting entity.

"Sorry, but I don't have time to waste with you," Cell spoke with a roll of his eyes, briefly raising his forefingers to his forehead...

**WHIZ-CRACK!**...before transmitting his body within the blink of his eye behind Bido, slamming his elbow into the brute's back hard enough to shatter his spine. With a wet crunch, Bido let out a pained gasp of breath, before he squealed in undignified pain as he writhed upon the ground.

As Cell turned, he cast a dark smile at the writhing Herasian, planting a foot onto the broken spine, and further crushed it as he leaned on his knee, asking him with an amused tone, "Did you actually think you were the only ones capable of rivaling gods? How pathetic, I can't believe the Kais ever had trouble with the likes of you."

"Punk!" Bojack growled out, having witnessed the brutality of his henchman in front of his now open eyes, as he saw the man who trespassed upon his territory, "get the Hell off my land or I'm going to snap that neck of yours off your shoulders!"

"Really?" Cell smiled viciously back at Bojack, as he began to indent the gurgling Bido's body into the ground with even more force, "who's going to stop me, hm?"

With a brief hiss escaping his mouth, Bojack growled out in command, "KOGU! ZANGYA! BUJIN! Take care of this deformed creature now!"

Within a series of shimmering movements, the lackeys responded with swift apprehension of their master's state of temperament. Zangya and Bujin swiftly moved to Cell's opposing flanks, swiftly throwing out dozens of transparent, violet Psycho threads to ensnare him.

**KRAK-KOOM!** Before they could ensnare him, however, Cell powered himself to full strength, sending the threads to all sides of himself, never becoming full taut with his skin's muscular surface. It was child's play for him to use his telekinesis to snap the threads within seconds, sending spasms of pain up the two casters' fingers and arms from the psychic connection they had to their bindings they threw.

As Kogu charged with rage, he unsheathed his sword and swung it over his head, powering up to his strongest state, intending on driving the blade directly down Cell's middle.

Cell spun on his heels, easily side-stepping the amateur downwards swipe, allowing the cutting edge to drive into the writhing fellow minion, slashing him and incinerating him from the force he unleashed. Before Kogu could retaliate, his left fist drove through his gut and out his back, causing the Herasian to gasp on an empty scream, before he fell limply onto the ground, spasms of involuntarily mortal twitches as he lied dying and in a pool of his own blood.

"RAAAAAAAH!" Zangya and Bujin rushed at him, intending on catching him off guard, and strike him but once.

Cell acrobatically swing one arm around, curtained in bio-electric and golden energy, decapitating Bujin with enough force to cause his body to evaporate into dust, following up with a roundhouse ax kick to Zangya's midriff, dispersing her own atoms into blue dust, as he brutally and efficiently killed all of Bojack's minions. All within a matter of seconds.

"Hmph, looks like you're not all talk then," Bojack smiled with malicious intent, his body already powering up with a scream of force, crackling with black ebbing currents of bio-electricity as a violet aura flourished around his massive body, "exactly what brings this pleasant interruption of such a boring day in this wasteland of Hell? Ego? Pride? An addiction to pain?!"

"None of the above," Cell spoke with a smile, as his body continued to thrum with the constant golden aura, eerily similar to that of a Super Saiyan's, as tendrils of bio-electricity spasm and crackled around his hard carapace. He did grin toothily as he drove a verbal nail towards Bojack's psyche, "I'm just quite disappointed such a revered and infamous legend such as yourself wasn't so cracked up to be what I imagined. You were defeated by a mere child, and a pompous arrogant warrior who you had the opportunity to kill. Quite frankly, I think it'll be quite easy to kill someone of your caliber...so I thought to get a bit of a workout. That's not a problem, is it?"

Bojack felt his teeth ground against each other, as veins protruded from his skin with the sudden dramatic rise of his power, bulging his body and changing its color and visual complexion, "It seems you have a death wish! ALLOW ME TO COMPLY!"

With a sudden roar, Bojack's body became engulfed in a powerful discharge of violet-black energy, as his body grew exponentially larger and his level of energy output grew even greater than before. The ground indented and spread out for nearly half a kilometer, as it was crushed and blackened by the terrifying inferno aura that was unleashed. When dispersed, Bojack became enraptured in a bright emerald-white aura, accenting his sickly green colored skin over his bulging muscles, and bright red hair.

Residing within a defensive stance, Cell felt as if everything was going according to plan. Before the battle was over, he'd reach that peak he so desired to find, and leap past it. He will get that power, even if he had to die once more!

Within a sudden dispersing movement of hyper-speed, the two rushed at each other and exchanged blows, sending a balloon of expansive pressure that cracked the ground and blew away corpses and halos of the deceased Galaxy Soldiers...

* * *

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...that was a good meal," Goku rubbed his comically expanded gut in emphasis to his contented words of appreciation. His eyes closed, he let loose a sigh of happiness, as he looked over at Aosai.

He noted from her polite silence through most of his session of devouring the food that she had only a fraction of the portions that he absorbed into his gullet. She had settled into a cross-legged stance resembling a look of patience and happiness of her own, as she looked at Goku with an innate fondness towards him, that seemed to grow only as the minutes passed by with their day together.

Goku couldn't place his finger on it what exactly made this day so special, and why she wanted to hang with him for the duration of the day. With a visible shrug, he cast aside those thoughts, as he just reveled in the company of such a friendly face within Other World.

"Do you know the name of these mountains, Goku?" Aosai asked with a serene smile on her face, as she spread her legs out before herself, discreetly scooting her frame near Goku's.

"Uh no," Goku squinted his eyes a bit, as he looked over at Aosai's closer form, looking straight into her eyes for an answer, "what is it?"

"Its named, _Goten_," she spoke with a hum, as her arm began to wrap around his back, as she used her spare hand to point towards the horizon, "there is a reason why these mountains are gifted with the title, _Heaven's Enlightenment_."

As Goku followed the pointed direction, his eyes began to widen as big as a child's. What greeted his eyes was a vivid masterpiece of visual splendor. A small orb, resembling a star began to set in the distance over Other World's Heaven skyline, causing a coalescing dip of lights to caress the golden cloud formed landscape. It all turned into a glistening violet-scarlet-glowing light, that stretched over each of the islands and caused each of them to glow and reflect the heavenly light that wrapped around each of the city-sized surfaces.

When it touched the mountains, Goku could almost feel the light igniting an aura around the minerals of the tall, glistening peaks. What was already a diamond glittering series of mountain peaks, now turned into a sparking series of glowing towers, enrapturing the waterfall that flowed down into the pool near their picnic meadow, and down into the large body of water held captive by the island hundreds of meters below.

It was a sight to behold, and Goku could scarcely believe how majestic everything looked. He barely noticed Aosai's head resting on his shoulder, as she clung to his resting and stationary form, her eyes closed with a smile on her face, as she relished the company of the man next to him. She felt as if it had been an eternity since she had been close to someone she treasured and loved dearly, and hoped this moment could last forever.

A sudden spasm of movement through Goku's body, dictated it to be but a temporary one.

"OMIGOSH! I almost forgot what day it is today!" Goku suddenly stood up, inadvertently taking Aosai's clinging body with him. Without a moment's hesitation, he swung his right hand up to his forehead and focused on the energy signature he recognized as home. Within an instant, he found it, and with a smile, he began to concentrate the energy within his body to pass through the envelope of Other Space's barrier and to the Universe's sole planet of Earth.

A startled squeal was barely emitted, as Aosai's widened and realized that Goku was using the same technique he used to transmit himself to Earth to stop Bojack. And she was still holding onto him!

Before either of them could react, the pair teleported away, and left their spot within the Goten mountainside...

* * *

**An hour later...**

"Hah...Hah...Hah...Hah..." Cell's body panted with exertion, as his body sizzled with newfound energy and power.

The battle he had experienced with Bojack had truly tested the limitations of his ascended power he had gained, both during his near-demise from his attempted suicide, but also from his passing into the next world. Even though Bojack had crushed him and blasted him nearly beyond recognition, he had failed to destroy his entire being.

Having been left alone within a deep, dark crater, Cell was able to regenerate uninterrupted and ascend into a new plateau of power he couldn't even have dreamed of attaining. His power practically bathed the dark recess of the pit he had been left to die in a supernova of force, as he rose victoriously with arms crossed, as Bojack turned to have a priceless expression of shock and rage.

It didn't take long for Cell to overwhelm him, absolutely crushing his body, before incinerating him to dust.

Though he had quickly overcame his opponent, the stress of gaining this new boost of energy took a mental toll on him. He knew that he wouldn't have time to waste on training his abilities to accommodate the jump of energy, stamina, and durability he had acquired.

Cell's concentration would be briefly distracted, however, as a distant scream penetrated his Namekian-enhanced ear drums. It had been muffled to any other being, but he could hear it clearly, and knew exactly what direction it was. As he focused his senses, he realized it came from the caves he found Doctor Gero's laboratory was. Whom was he torturing to create such a loud sound of agony? Then...as he listened to the distinct, more discreet groans of pain emanate the mouth of the cave kilometers away, he allowed himself a dark smile of realization.

"Found yourself a new pet to upgrade, have you, Doctor? Really, you must not know the meaning of rest, even in the afterlife," Cell spoke aloud to himself, crossing hsi arms over his chest. He knew that some poor being had must have been acquired or came to the Doctor's doorstep, and now was suffering at the hands of brutal modification, through intense physical re-mapping and cybernetic implantation. Whoever the entity it was, clearly male, must be willing to undergo this kind of pain to acquire power. But on what scale? Cell couldn't tell, even with his senses. Apparently the cave's properties within the laboratory dulled the ability to sense energy, possibly why Dr. Gero had chosen it as a place to hide and work in secret.

He was briefly curious as to whom this new rival could be, but he shrugged it off. He had his hands full with his new volume of energy to use in the coming Tournament. And with only three months time till the awaited day, he knew he shouldn't waste a single second of time.

"Now let's see what I can really do!" Cell spoke to himself with an excited tone, as his dark laughter carried across the desolated battlefield within the center of No-Man's Land, as his body shot off towards another area to remain undisturbed as he trained. The time for his victory was close at hand!

* * *

Nearly within an instant of Cell's voice carrying across Hell's atmosphere, a couple appeared vividly right back onto the meadow picnic area of Goten mountainside.

Aosai's eyes were much more somber, having witnessed what she had, and realized with what she tried to do. As she released her grip on Goku's shirt, she turned her gaze away, having nothing but shame emanate her beautiful emerald eyes, as her own arms wrapped around her chest, doing her best not to speak of what had happened or what was going through her mind.

"Aosai? Are you okay?" Goku asked, a little perplexed to her sudden change of demeanor, having only changed within the last moments they spent on Earth, as they returned back to Other World only minutes ago during their time spent with his family on Earth.

"I'm sorry, Goku, for...what I've tried to do," Aosai spoke plainly, striking a chord in Goku's brain, as he began to soak in the atmosphere of what was really around him, "you have a wonderful family back home, and you truly are being expected to come back someday, even though you are dead. I...I guess I rationalized that since most people don't leave Other World that you were a man who could be considered not taken by someone else. But...I should have realized from the way you held your wife those months ago, and just now...it was foolish and wrong for me to try and take advantage of you..."

"Aosai, stop," Goku spoke firmly, stopping Aosai's back-turned apology, as he grabbed her trembling shoulders and turned her around to face him. He felt his heart quake at seeing her lips trembling, and her eyes moisten with barley restrained tears. He could tell, even past his very male dense mind, that she intended their day together to be nothing but sweet and romantic. With a smile of his own, he rubbed his thumbs across her shoulders, as he spoke back in positive rebuttal, "I know now you are nothing but a soul with a heart of gold. I can understand that your intentions, as blatant as they were, had nothing but authentic kindness within them. Maybe in some other life, I could have thoroughly enjoyed your company, and may have fallen for you, but I already have a woman back home I love dearly."

"I know...I...just didn't realize how serious you were in getting back home, until now," Aosai smiled sadly, as a tear escaped her right eye, travelling down her blue cheek.

It was caught by Goku's left forefinger, wiping her eyes with compassion, as he smiled tenderly back at her, "I really enjoyed everything you've done for me today. I never had ever found a friend who would do all of this to make me forget all the aches and misery I put myself through when I was training. I'm sure if my brother got treated like this, even HE would not deny how wonderful a time you two would spend-"

"You have a BROTHER?!" Aosai's eyes immediately widened, as she comically bounced up and grappled Goku's collar with childish demand in her voice, "what's he like?! Is he good looking?! Is he anything like you! Tell me!"

Caught off guard by the sudden change in demeanor, Goku's eyes bulged as his arms flung in the air, trying to calm his female friend down, "Uh yeah...he's kinda like me I guess. He's stubborn as a rock and has longer hair, bigger muscles too. I guess you could say he's the more temperamental one in comparison to me-"

"Take me to him!" Aosai spoke pointedly, her eyes fixating Goku with a serious tone.

"Can't do that," Goku spoke back with a hesitant tone, as he saw Aosai project a puppy eyed look, as her lips pouted.

"Why not?!" Aosai demanded, shaking Goku comically for an answer.

"He's training hard. Like, REALLY hard! He can't be disturbed, and I doubt he'd be in the mood for company as pleasant as yours, sorry!" Goku explained as quickly as he could, being enough to relent Aosai's surprisingly strong grip.

"Fine," Aosai huffed, crossing her arms, but held a slight smile of anticipation on her face, "I'll look forward to seeing him then. But, in return for making me meet your family AND helping out with the surgery, you have to do me a favor."

"What is it?" Goku asked, arching a brow in query.

Aosai splayed her hands out across the meadow, showing the dozens of dirty dishes, the empty containers of scented oils, and the remains of what he didn't eat or had finished eating, "Clean this up for me!"

Before Goku could protest, she evaporated within thin air, using the mysterious instantaneous travel technique of hers to move far away from the Goten mountains. With a belated sigh, Goku grumbled as he bent down and began to bag everything within sight. After such a pleasant day, he feared facing his mother, the way he took off with Aosai. But, in the end, he knew it was for the best. He needed to complete his training and prepare for the Tournament.

Having seen his family and witnessed his child's birth, he felt all the motivation he needed to press forward. Three months until the fated day to which he'd attempt to win his life back, back with his family, his friends, and the world he cared about truthfully. He may not win it, but he'd definitely give it all and not quit until his body dissolved into ashes.

"Three months...and I'll be in the Tournament of a lifetime!" Goku spoke to himself, even as he cleaned up the mess of his day with Aosai, he couldn't hold his own suspense, "and I'm going to win it...no matter what it takes! I WILL WIN!"

* * *

**A/N**:_ Lol, I forgot to add this when I first updated this. Sorry about that guys XD_

_Anywho, another chapter out of the way. Big thanks to_ **RHODESKurosaki** _for helping bounce ideas off my story this far. Helped me get a good grasp of the setting for this story. So please give a good show of hands and thank Rhodes for helping me get these chapters accomplished in such a timely manner ^_^_

_One chapter to go until the inevitable Other World Tournament starts! I have recently placed up a poll on my profile in which is about all the guys that aren't OBVIOUSLY going to partake in the Tournament, that YOU want me to put into it. If you guys want to submit an OC who's a denizen of Hell or Heaven, I'll try to see if I can scrounge a few of those into the story, but please give me a good descriptive PM about him/her/it. If you have other villains you know about who should be in Hell and participate in this Tournament or any good guys who should be in Heaven also contending, please let me know. _

_And with that, I'll get the next chapter posted by this next weekend. Hope you all enjoyed this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it. Until then, I'll see you all at the next Other World Saga Chapter Update! _


	7. First Battles

**THE OTHER WORLD SAGA**

* * *

**Chapter 7 - First Battles**

* * *

Goku sighed as he rose up from his bedding. The Saiyan yawned within the confines of his reinforced cube-like hovel, stretching his arms, and cracking out the tension within his sore, scarred body.

It had been three months from the day he saw his 2nd child being born, and six months since his fated day of awakening his true power. He had spent the remaining three months honing that power, as well as pushing his body's stamina to the very limits of what he could handle, and transcending it time and again. He just hoped he trained enough to make a difference.

Despite having the last week to restore his worn and beaten frame, Goku still felt remnants of the sores lying within his limbs and chest. It was the day of the Tournament, and Goku wished he had a Senbu Bean to restore his health and stamina to tip-top shape. He couldn't remember how dependent he had been on those magically enchanted beans to make the difference in battle. Here, he had to recover naturally, which took much longer time while he was alive. He couldn't help but sympathize with the rationality of why his mother and father insisted on working themselves literally to death in their training. The fact their recuperation would happen within a much swift course of time, overrode the initial fear and loathing of having to die at all, given that they're already dead.

During his musing, he could smell the smoke that carried the scent of barbecue, causing all thoughts to melt away to the only thought that mattered to him: Food was ready to be consumed.

Stepping out of his cube-shaped hovel, Goku would be greeted by the welcoming aroma of atypical barbecue. What surprised Goku, was that his father was tending to the meal, rather than his mom.

Blinking a few times, he noticed that his mom was still inside her hovel, still fast asleep. It was odd, cause Goku noticed that his mother was a early riser and lately had been sleeping in a bit more within the last week he had been resting. Was she doing something he wasn't aware of?

"Oh, Kakarot, you're up," Bardock spoke with realization, his eyes momentarily catching Goku's perplexed ones. A slight smile worked on his face, as he spun the spit a bit a few more times over the fire before he added, "your mother's been busy working on a surprise for you. She told me not to tell until today, when she's awakened."

"Really? A present?" Goku brightened up at the idea of getting a gift, from his mother no less. As he took a seat next to his father, he saw him douse the fire and retrieve a knife, cutting some of the meat off and handing it to him, "must have been important if she spent the whole week making it."

"Hell yeah! She didn't train at all during this week we were supposed to recuperate. She just worked on her little project while you have been snoozing. Its not like I could sleep through it, due to me having the only pair of sensitive ears in this family," Bardock groaned aloud.

"I heard that!" Hanassia shouted from within her hovel, walking out with her eyes half-lidded from sleep deprivation, "and I don't snore loudly!"

"Yes you do," Bardock spoke in a deadpan defiance.

"NO I DON'T!" Hanassia raised her voice, louder than necessary, with eyes widened with sudden undignified rage overcoming her senses.

"WOMAN, I SPEAK THE TRUTH WHEN I SAY YOU SNORE LIKE AN EARTHQUAKE!" Bardock yelled back, violent twitches of protruding veins sprout from his forehead as he stood up, turning himself to raise a fist towards his enraged wife.

"I CAN'T HELP IT IF YOU'RE A LIGHT SLEEPER!" Hanassia snarled out, waving her own fists as a violet-white aura burst from her skin, just as a blue-white aura burst from Bardock in retort. The whole mountain shook, and the campsite rattled from the fury placed within their energy output, almost out of control.

Goku felt compelled to step in between the fight, leaping in between the two as the meat on the spit nearly rattled off the sticks holding it up, and the foundation beginning to weaken, "Mom, dad! Please stop! You're going to collapse the mountain if you don't control yourselves!"

The two parents exchanged glares for longer than their son appreciated. After an uncomfortable silent rattling of the mountain, their auras defused, in sync with the two of them turning their backs childishly to each other. Hanging his head exasperatedly, Goku scratched the back of it as he approached his mom, trying to change the mood.

"Hey, mom, I've been noticing that you have been working on something lately. Can I see what it is?" Goku asked timidly, sheepishly smiling at the simmering mother of his.

With a exhale through the nostrils, Hanassia allowed a satisfied smile to breach her cross face, "Well, I was working on something as a sign of being such a good student, despite all the punishment I put you through. Follow me."

Turning upon her heels, she marched into her hovel, parting the cloth doorway briefly to allow Goku to enter. Upon entry, Goku noted most of the interior was as spartan as the rest. Filled with nothing but a few tools hanging from the walls, a cot on the ground, and what looked like a blanketed covering what Goku surmised to be his surprise that his mother and father had mentioned.

As his mom knelt down, she unraveled it slowly, admiring her work as the blanket uncovered something that took Goku's breath away. It looked to be fully polished, crafted Saiyan armor, with custom knitted fabrics and boots to match the sleeveless breastplate.

"Mom...you worked the whole week on this?" Goku felt overwhelmed with gratitude, as he looked over at his mom with a big smile.

Putting her hands on her hips, Hanassia visibly puffed up her armored chest with pride, as she smiled back at her son, "Looks good, doesn't it?"

"It looks fantastic! I love it!" Goku spoke thankfully, his arms reaching out and hugging his mother tightly.

It had just occurred to both mother and son that this was the first time ever exchanged a moment of affection to each other. While Hanassia's eyes widened with shock, not quite sure what to do, she felt her arms slowly slide up Goku's back and hug him just as tightly. Goku on the other hand, had never been held by a mother, even as a child.

Despite the whole year of aggression and intense training, the Saiyan found it..._soothing_...almost like how he felt when he held Chi-Chi, but moreover felt a sense of belonging in the older Saiyan woman's arms.

Clearing her throat, Hanassia let go of Goku as he did, motioning quickly towards the armor with insistence as she headed out of the hovel, "Get dressed, young man! We have a Tournament to head to!"

"Right!" Goku said with acknowledgement, before raising his eyes with surprise at the haste of his mother leaving the hovel so quickly. Was she embarrassed, he could only guess. With a shrug, he began taking off his clothes within the enclosed square-shaped hovel and began adorning the armor and attire that his mother made for him.

As Hanassia joined Bardock's side to dig into the meat, the Saiyan mate of hers arched a brow of surprise at her. He could see a glistening sparkle of refracted moisture crawling down her face, trickling from her eyes.

"You okay?" Bardock asked softly, feeling compelled to do so due to the rarity of this situation.

"I...forgot what it was like to hold my children, Bardock, that's all," Hanassia spoke with a ragged sigh, wiping her face with her red sleeves, as she peeled a good amount of tenderized meat for her to devour off the spit, "I wonder...I wonder if Raditz ever wanted a hug from me?"

"Change of heart on how you feel for the two of them, huh?" Bardock asked with a wry grin, taking a bite from a large thigh before swallowing it in one successive gulp, "is it because Kakarot's been rubbing off on you?"

"I still feel the same, Bardock, but, its like something inside hurts for the first time," Hanassia reached up and grabbed a hold of her armor, looking solemnly down at the simmering campfire below the spit, "its as if I forgot I had a heart and suddenly feel it beating inside me. The way Kakarot seems to bring a cheer to our dreary lives feels comforting. The fact that he was raised by the very people he was sent to destroy was a bit unbelievable when I first heard it, but...comforting...to know that someone cared enough for my child that he would put aside his natural urges to do what he was meant to do. He truly is passionate in everything he does, just like a Saiyan would be. But his feelings for his family are so genuine, which is what gives him the drive to push past all the pain and misery we've put him through."

Bardock nodded, having stopped eating himself, as his eyes drew themselves to the fire as well. After a long silence, he spoke up as well, "I saw that desire to continue behind his eyes, the same desperation I had when I faced Frieza. He's nothing like Raditz. He does everything selflessly and acts to protect without any thought of what the consequences would be. He proved that by breaking the veil around Other Space and smacked that Bojack guy."

"And yet, Raditz has never been so motivated on training than he has in the last few years I've known him. Ever since he and Kakarot engaged each other, he'd look as if he was staring down his goal. He wants to prove that he's stronger than his little brother, and now is determined to push himself much harder than him. That's probably why he hasn't shown up in the last six months," Hanassia spoke lowly, wringing her hands together as she thought of her eldest son, having no contact with them purposely the entire time.

"Well, he'll show up to the Tournament. It'd be a total waste if he didn't show up just because he slept in or forgot what day it was today," Bardock spoke with finality, standing up to his feet with a sigh, kicking dirt into the fire to douse it, "so expect him to show up either late or the last minute."

"I guess you're right," Hanassia smiled a bit, enjoying the fact that her mate could allow her to speak her mind. Standing up, she grasped half of the meat off the spit and practically inhaled it, gulping hard, as she sighed in effect, "can't let this go to waste, then!"

"Hey! What about me?!" A startled cry emerged from the Hanassia's hovel, as Goku stepped out with a horrified expression at seeing the food eaten so quickly.

As Bardock and Hanassia turned, they took a few moments to truly admire Goku's appearance.

Standing there, Goku wore a sleeveless Saiyan armored breastplate, colored in black with orange lines bordering the intricate curves and angles of the metallic surface. On either forearm, he sported a pair of blue-black braces, matching the blue belt wrapped around his waist. A pair of black leggings with orange highlights stretched down to a pair of black-orange armored boots.

A wry grin crawled upon Bardock's face, as he elbowed his mate to knock her out of her stupor at seeing Goku wearing Saiyan trappings.

"You look good, son. I bet you can win the whole Tournament without that getting a scratch on that," Bardock nodded to him with approval, wrapping his arms around his chest as he observed Goku's newfound attire.

"Hahaha, if only Tournaments would go that smoothly!" Goku laughed at the thought, knowing full well how often his attire had fallen prey to destruction from the intensity of his battles. He knew that even the Saiyan armor that Bulma made for him held up well, but even it didn't go without being torn and beaten from the sparring sessions he had with Gohan during his time in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber.

"Well we don't have any fancy factories around here, so I had to make the armor a little bit denser. You won't have as much flexibility, but I'm sure with your strength you won't be able to notice the weight change," Hanassia gestured towards Goku's armor enrapturing his torso and on his arms, "it'll provide better protection if you imbue your energy into it for certain. Any lesser material would become brittle or tear, but I made sure it was compatible to a Super Saiyan's power."

"It'll certainly be nice to have a little extra protection. I'm sure to get used to it," Goku nodded with a smile, gripping his fists in emphasis of his excitement.

"Well, dive into the food while its still hot," Hanassia gestured to the spit, to which Goku didn't hesitate in lunging at to rip the tenderized and barbecued food as fast as he could in order to devour it as swiftly as possible, "after this, we're heading straight to the Grand Kai's planet. And onto the Tournament, at long last..."

* * *

It didn't take long for Goku to finish eating, which allowed the trio of Super Saiyans to take off towards the Grand Kai's planet.

As they left the planet's surface, they noted hundreds of auras ignited across the sky as they flew towards the legendary home of the most powerful of the Kais. Each one with their own individual signature, making them uniquely set apart to the others, as well as having their own colors. It looked both intimidating and majestic, as Goku felt a good fraction of them having power that made him feel wary of the competition and their zeal to enter.

When they arrived, Goku saw that the planet was most populated around the immense mansion. As they touched down near the beginning of the line, he noted that a great portion of the contestants stepped back from the three noticeable beings landing on the planet's surface. Goku looked around, seeing most of the fighters to be unrecognizable, but certainly recognized him.

"Look! Its Son Goku! The one who escaped Other World and clobbered Bojack!"

"Isn't that Bardock, the Super Saiyan? He must be his father, look at their resemblance!"

"Its the fierce family of Super Saiyans!"

As the murmurs continued, Goku felt a bit uncomfortable being at the center of everything. Normally he had been overlooked by the masses, but this time around, he couldn't escape the gazes of all proximate contenders. Some looked uneasy, others looked curious, and some didn't bat an eye towards his direction. He could feel tension in the air, as he felt signatures from fighters of Heaven and Hell mingled together, barely restraining themselves at starting a conflict.

Even on sacred soil under the watchful eyes of the Kais themselves, the restlessness wouldn't be able to last much longer without incident.

Thankfully, a friendly face approached Goku's direction. Walking forward with a smile of relief at finally finding his surrogate grandson, "There you are, Goku. For a few minutes here, I thought I'd be wandering across this whole planet and never find you."

"Hey, Grandpa!" Goku spoke with a cheerful tone, glad to find someone who wasn't staring at him awkwardly. As he bent down and hugged the short, elderly human, he felt his parents looking over his shoulders at the small being and himself. Standing upright, Goku cleared his throat, waving his arms towards his mother and father respectively, "Grandpa Gohan, I'd like to introduce you to my parents. Mom, Dad, this is my adopted grandfather, Gohan."

"Uh, hello there," Hanassia spoke with a hesitant smile, not sure if she should wave or shake his hand. Seeing the elderly man bow in greeting, she copied him in a hasty manner, causing the old man to chuckle.

"I see you don't socialize much. Not like there are many decent folk like yourself down there," Grandpa Gohan spoke with a smile.

"Trust me, we're really not that decent," Bardock spoke plainly, before adding with a smirk, "so you're the man who raised our son? You're not what I expected, when he spoke of the Earth's strongest warrior."

"Looks can be deceiving, or so they say," Grandpa Gohan retorted pleasantly, before he squinted his eyes mischievously in return, "but you're Goku's father? I expected you to be taller..."

"His name is Kakarot, and I'm not short!" Bardock huffed, crossing his arms in retort, even as his mate snickered at him, "the only short ones of our race are those born with the stupid, repetitive name of Vegeta!"

"Huh, isn't it kind of confusing to name everyone the same name as you? What does that make Vegeta's dad, then? The second, fourth?" Goku inquired, scratching his head at the idea of Vegeta being a byproduct of bad naming.

"I could really care less," Bardock rolled his eyes as he unfolded his arms.

"Hmph, not much of a talker, eh? Well that's fine, I was just on my way to my seat," Grandpa Gohan smiled politely, bowing to the couple as he turned his gaze back at his surrogate grandson.

"Wait, you're not competing, Grandpa?" Goku asked with wide eyes of disbelief, having known his grandfather to be an exceptional fighter.

"No. I'm quite content in watching you progress in this Tournament. I'm certain if I ever entered, we'd eventually cross each other, and you'd be the undeniable winner," Grandpa Gohan spoke with an acknowledging smile, "my time fighting is over. I'm sure to enjoy watching you compete, and show me just how much stronger you've become."

"I will Grandpa, I promise," Goku spoke with a warm smile, bending down and hugging the old man, before he parted ways with the rest of them to the edge of the crowd.

It wasn't long until Hanassia asked Bardock, dispelling any noticeable silence between the three family members, "Expect any reunions this time around?"

"Are you kidding? Considering how many countless people that we, uh, _met_ in our, there is bound to be someone here to recognize me," Bardock spoke with a vague acknowledgement, not really wanting to bring up his career of manslaughter and genocide in front of his ethically grounded son.

Then, a voice suddenly emanated from Bardock's backside, fulfilling his prediction of an encounter.

"Yeah, too bad it took you twenty years to do so," the voice of Tora spoke aloud, flanked by three memorable comrades, as he smiled wryly at Bardock. As he got the veteran leader of their squad to turn around with widened eyes of surprise, "long time no see, Bardock."

"T-Tora!" Bardock's took a moment to see his long lost friend and comrade in arms, standing right before him. Because how vast Hell's landscape was, Bardock had always wondered how he never saw his teammates along there beside him. He once entered the special territory of King Vegeta's, with all his mindless subordinates and minions groveling before his feet, he didn't see any sign of them being remotely close to its crevices. And yet, he saw Tora, Borgos, Shugesh, and Fasha, standing before him and visibly stronger than he last saw them.

"You're all here!" Bardock couldn't help but smile at seeing them all and with a fiery fighting spirit, "I can't help but notice you're power has increased. I can feel it, just by seeing it in your eyes."

"Better than relying on those junky Scouters, that's for sure," Borgos chuckled.

"I dunno. They were kind of stylish and made us look official," Shugesh commented offhandedly, scratching his chin with emphasis.

"More like they made us look like complete tools AND fools. They're kind of obsolete, given how everyone in this world who's a fighter can sense energy," Borgos retorted.

"Before you guys keep bantering, I need to settle something with our dear, fearless leader," Fasha spoke sharply, fixating a glare at Bardock.

Bardock didn't even have the chance to make eye contact with the only female of his squad before he felt a stinging slap hit across his scarred cheek. She had moved too fast and surprisingly left an angry welt on his his face, something to remind him of her indignant rage.

"That was for leaving us behind, before and after we died!" Fasha snarled out, baring her teeth as she balled her extended fist towards her Ex Squad Captain.

"Strong arm, just like I remember it," Bardock winced as he reached up to feel the pulsing, reddened flesh that Fasha left on his face with his finger tips.

Fasha then grabbed him by his armor's shoulder wraps with both hands, saying with a sudden, husky tone, "And this, is thanks for showing us the real strength of the Saiyan race!"

What transpired caused nearly all eyes to widen and jaws to drop. Goku was surprised, as he saw Fasha pulling Bardock down into a rough, passionate kiss, which was returned with earnest vigor. Even Hanassia's eyes looked like windows at seeing Fasha's brazen action, not sure how to react as the make out session extended for a good period of time.

But soon enough, Hanassia shook her head and cleared her throat, breaking the blissful moment of mutual attraction to a close, "I have to admit, Fasha, that took a lot of balls to do that. Especially in front of me. But I'd tread lightly on attempting to repeat such a openly brazen action upon **my** mate," briefly, Hanassia gutturally growled and seemed to permeate a dark aura of menace towards the short haired female Saiyan, "**_or you'll see why I was considered the strongest female warrior of our race!_**"

"Deal," Fasha raised her hands in submission, despite the wry smile on her face, "though that title may be debatable, once this Tournament is over. You might say, _I'm_ the **strongest** one now."

"Then I'll just have to see it to believe it, now won't I?" Hanassia growled as she locked eyes with Fasha, glaring to the point where the hostility was palpable.

Goku backed up from the frightening display, hoping to not be dragged into his father's predicament of being in between two pissed females. Instead, he felt a familiar warmth wash over him, as a pair of two smooth blue arms wrapped around his neck playfully, as Aosai hovered behind him with a friendly smile on her face, "Found you."

"Hey there, Aosai," Goku spoke with a nonchalant attitude, turning around to face Aosai, whom landed in front of him with her attire befitting her contesting position, "here to wish me luck?"

"Actually, I've come to ask you something," Aosai's smile suddenly dropped, as her eyes look behind Goku's shoulders for something. Unsurprisingly to her, she didn't see anyone else but his Saiyan parents, and Bardock's squad. With a heavy sigh, she hung her head, causing her orange hair to flourish over her face like a dramatic curtain, "have you seen your brother? I can't seem to find him anywhere on the planet!"

"Really?!" Goku's eyes widened with genuine surprise, cupping his chin as he looked down, thinking what he could be doing, "he could still be resting from his latest training session. That's probably why he's late..."

"Well, he's keeping me in suspense!" Aosai reeled back, her hands dragging down her face as her hair whipped back over her shoulders, groaning as she stared at Goku with depression, "it pains me to think there's another hunky Saiyan like you out there, not taken, ready to be plucked like a fresh radish by my delicate hands!"

"I'm sure he'll turn up soon," Goku tried to encourage the Herasian, raising his hands to reel her back to the present, "after all, he's been training harder than even I have, and all on his own. His zeal to win might be as strong as mine, too, even if its for his own reasons."

"I guess I'll have to take your word for it," Aosai said, as she sighed with resignation.

Thankfully, Aosai's depression and Goku's anxiety would be put to rest, as a familiar aged Kai hovered above the masses, flanked by the other four Kais.

"ATTENTION Y'ALL WATCHERS AND PARTAKERS, YOUR WAIT IS OVER!" The Grand Kai's voice suddenly boomed out, taking a much grander tone while retaining his nonchalant attitude, "ARE YOU READY TO GET THIS STARTED?!"

A unified roar of enthusiasm broke across the planet's surface, shaking the foundation and sending a dramatic Kiai into the atmosphere. This caused the Grand Kai to chuckle, as he could feel the crackling energy released from the fighters, releasing their pent-up aggression and impatience all in one go. Whatever happens afterwards, he knew he'd remember this day fondly.

"Now, kindly form a single line through the gate," the Grand Kai instructed, as his mansion's gates swung open with a wave of his hand, "and follow me into ma crib! I'll show you to the arena and the stadium! Now let's hustle!"

As the Grand Kai and the Four Kais landed upon the ground, the masses began to follow suit and form a large ten man wide line as they traversed across the massive estate grounds and up the stairs towards the ominously dark interior of the mansion. As they walked, they all would feel a sudden chilling sensation. It was as if they were descending into a dark hole, slowly sapping the light and warmth, but hovering just above freezing temperature. While the majority of the soon-to-be audience of Heaven and Hell were close to shivering out of their figurative boots, most of the fighters barely noticed it.

"Huh, now this is odd," Goku noted aloud, as Aosai walked next to him in the near pitch black tunnel.

"What, the fact that this tunnel seems to be longer and deeper than the mansion the Grand Kai lives in? Or is the fact that he built a tunnel in his house at all with no lights is strange?" Aosai asked with a teasing tone, raising a hand and creating a green edged, white sphere up, making a clear light for them and the forward walking contestants were moving.

Goku shook his head, furrowing his brows as he explained, "No, I feel this ticklish sensation as I'm walking through this place. It reminds me of the times I'm using the Instant Transmission technique. I...think we're moving through a spacial doorway into another realm."

"Incredible," Aosai murmured, enamored by the subtle tingling feeling she got across all of her nerves, lying underneath the cold aura the tunnel held, "no wonder the Grand Kai agreed to a year's preparation. He must have been fastening a doorway to the stadium he's talking about, cutting straight through the dimensional fabric and into another realm we've yet to know about."

"This guy would probably make a great Hyperbolic Time Chamber," Goku spoke aloud with a smile of dawning, understanding what the Grand Kai was now fully capable of.

"The what-what chamber?" Aosai asked with a confused look.

"Its a place that I trained in. Sealed behind a door, its a world that's warm, with heavy gravity, and is completely white and endless into the horizon. Entering it for a whole day can get you a whole year's worth of training," Goku explained with a smile, emphasizing his descriptions with his hands, as Aosai's light illuminated his figure.

Enamored by what Goku described, she couldn't help but feel jealous. Goku had been through so many trials and tribulations few of any species would be privileged to undertake or experience. He gained strength rivaling galactic tyrants and mettle with infamous legendary barbarians. She could only wonder if her own battle prowess and experience would be enough to fight on even terms with the Saiyan hero of the Northern quadrant.

She only hoped that his brother had a similar appeal, that'd make him equally if not more attractive than the passionate hero walking next to her.

"Hey, the entrance is up ahead!" Goku pointed out towards a large elliptical shaped doorway of light only a dozen meters away. As the two of them, followed by the crowd, they finally passed through the fabric of light and would be greeted by an impressive sight.

* * *

To say that the Stadium space that was created by the Grand Kai was impressive, would be an understatement. What Goku and the rest of the flooding sea of bodies would see would be an enormous sky of stars, proximate planets and moons, hanging just above their heads. It seemed to stretch on and on forever, as if they truly were in the middle of the edge of an unknown Universe.

The ground they walked on was made of fresh grass, all watered and tended to, seemingly on a daily basis. Surrounding them was the endless rows of seats for the audience, that seemed to stretch up for a good kilometer at an angular position. At the center of the stadium lied a square shaped arena, stretching nearly an entire mile from one corner to the other.

The Grand Kai and the other four Kais were already seated at a large, fancy viewing box just above the entrance and exit of the arena, and their pocket dimension they were current within. Noticeably, a meter tall barrier, walled off and separated at for corners, had a special banner along the face of the blue walling of four types of titles: North, West, East, and South Galaxies.

As Goku walked forward, the immense flow of to-be audience goers and contenders filled the grassy field within a matter of minutes, awaiting instruction from the head of the Tournament.

"Welcome to the Other World Tournament!" The Grand Kai bellowed, standing up from his red-gold colored throne and waved his arm out to the people just below his gaze, "as you may have already noticed, I have separated all four Galaxies into four areas. Each of these areas, for contenders of Heaven or Hell, go to their designated areas of free roam. I don't care if ya got a problem with somebody or if that person is from Hell, I will NOT tolerate infighting among spectators. Starting a fight will result in an immediate BAN from the Tournament. The rest of ya who came here just to watch this Tournament of the ages, just head up and claim a spot on the Tournament stands above. This will be a long Tournament, as I have chosen one thousand contenders, half from Hell and half from Heaven just to mix things up, so that will make the first round nearly five hundred matches. If for any reason any of you want to take a break and grab a few winks back at Other World, please do so. We have concessions and lots of food provided by yours truly, and given to the contenders at a halftime break in between each round. Now, is there any questions?"

A brief silence ensues the masses, as it seemed no one had a real problem with it. Sure, there may be some animosity between each other, but all tension would be relieved in the ongoing matches.

Then, a familiar green-camo-colored arm raised up into the air, followed by a haughty tone, "Would you care to tell everyone what kind of prize awaits for the one who wins the Championship? I'm sure we're all dying to know, hahahaha!"

As Cell's joke erupted, a collection of laughs also ensued, as the pun was found hilarious to most of them nearby. Others remained silent, but curious, as mutterings began as the Grand Kai contemplated his answer.

When he found one, he spoke deadpan serious to the lot, "The winner of this Tournament can be given a choice: Be trained by me or gain a life back within the Living Universe."

As the crowd began to fall into an uproar, the Grand Kai with cane in hand, slammed it down loud enough to usher a silence among the murmuring denizens of Other World once more, "This is my final decision! I don't want any objections or infighting over this. If I see that the fighter of the one thousand participating is worthy, I shall give him or her the choice that's rightfully theirs. If they aren't, they get no prize at all, so be mindful all of you how you attain each victory within this Tournament. Do I make myself clear?"

A much longer, forced silence ensued over the masses, satisfying the Grand Kai with their mutual acknowledgement.

"Now, anymore questions?" The Grand Kai asked once more, noting none raised their hands, for fear or lacking desire to inquire further, "good. Now, please everyone go to your seats and I'll get this party started!"

With that said, the stadium floor moved towards their designated spots, with non-combatants moving up the various staircases up the enormous rows of stands, while the combatants vaulted and walked into their specified areas of each galactic quadrant. Goku had a parting smile and wave to Aosai, as he was reunited with his family and Bardock's squad as they ventured towards the northernmost area of the stadium. It also happened to be right beneath the Kais' viewing box, seemingly too coincidental in Goku's mind.

None-the-less, soon everyone was within their designated spots, and awaiting the starting of the Tournament.

All eyes turned towards an aerial, hovering screen as a loud beeping was heard, as a series of names rushed between the top and bottom slots, randomizing the results.

Within but a few moments, the results came up in bold golden letters on the matte screen...

**BOJACK, THE UNBOUND**

**VS**

**SON GOKU**

King Kai, having but a few moments to sip some tea, suddenly found it spraying out of his mouth, "WHAT IN THE NAME OF THE SUPREME?! Goku vs Bojack?!"

"Oh my," South Kai trembled, not eager at being such a close proximity to the fierce some brute again, especially in the form he was in, "this isn't good."

"This can't be happening by coincidence!" The East Kai, trying to shake her head that the machine would happen to choose Goku and Bojack, for the first fight no less!

"We're all going to die! We're all going to die!" The West Kai ducked his head, putting his hands atop it, hoping that the nightmare would go away.

The majority of the crowd was also in an uproar. It was almost like history was repeating itself, with Bojack having died at the hands of a Super Saiyan, and having fought several of them, each of them wounding him severely before being erased from life. With the realization that it was Goku who managed to land a good punch in, the crowd felt excited, and all began to shout in anticipation, wanting to see the fight in action themselves.

Bardock, however, wasn't amused by the Kais' reactions just a good hearing distance away from him, "Great support, Kais. After all, if Kakarot can't stop him, there's no guarantee that Bojack won't screw this stadium over."

However, blissfully ignorant of the whole ordeal, with a wide smile on his face was Goku. He couldn't be more excited at the prospect of facing Bojack, especially within a fair, competitive light. While he still didn't condone his actions in life, he still hoped to test the limits of his abilities against him, regardless. With an eager fist-palm gesture, Goku shouted aloud, "Alright! My turn first!"

"Good luck, Kakarot!" Hanassia spoke with a smile, throwing a fist up in gesture of confidence to Goku.

"Kick his ass!" Bardock spoke in succession, causing his son to smile back.

"Don't worry, this will be a great fight!" Goku spoke with promise, waving his hand back at his parents as he ascended into the air, flying towards the arena.

Upon touching the center of the tiled arena, a pair of large feet touched down on the opposite area. As Goku raised his eyes, it met the cold, blue eyes that Bojack stared back at. It felt like staring at Cell, magnifying the sheer barbaric nature within his aura. No doubts in Goku's mind this would be a real fight on his hand, even if wasn't going to be the toughest.

"Its been awhile since I've broken some bones," Bojack spoke with profound confidence, as his body began to be drenched in a dark violet-black aura. His clothes shimmered with the intensity of which he brought his strength up to near all of his potential in his base form, flourishing his body with power and strength, as he put his senses on high alert for the warrior who caught him off guard that fated day, "it'll be a supreme pleasure to snap the bones of the Champion of the cowardly gods, Son Goku!"

"Well yeah? Sorry about the broken jaw I gave you. Hope you're not too mad about that," Goku spoke in a dark tone, smiling back in a taunting manner towards his opponent.

"HA! Like I care about a simple sneak attack. It just proves how low the gods must have sunk to find a coward like you to work on their behest!" Bojack sneered towards the Saiyan across from him.

"Only thing more cowardly than me blindsiding you would be targeting my wife," Goku glared heatedly, his eyes shining emerald and his hair moving vertical, as a golden aura suddenly enraptured Goku upon instinct, sending a blistering wind and crackling thunderclap of force from his body's thrumming, powered body, "Let's try to leave bygones in the past life, okay? I'd rather just have some fun in the Tournament."

"Well too bad for you, Goku," Bojack chuckled darkly, as he raised his fists up in a forward aggressive stance, pivoting one foot behind the other, "I don't plan on this being enjoyable for you. By the time I'm done with you, you'll be begging for me to kill you!"

"Go ahead and try! I'm itching for you to see what I'm capable of," Goku spoke with a challenging tone, lowering his body forward while assuming his favored martial arts stance, as he awaited his battle to start.

And then, the sign above them beeped loudly, signaling the beginning of the battle.

* * *

Within an instant, the two clashed, meeting each other's elbows with a vicious smash. The force that was projected sent a deafening shockwave that rumbled across the vast stadium and electrified the durable title plating of the ring beneath their feet.

Breaking from their hold, their bodies would phase out of view, and thrust up into the air with telltale streaks of gold and violet leaving their bodies, as they began to smash into each other over and over again. Bright flashes of lightning trailed from their points of contact, as the energy seemed to exude a lot more wildly than normal, even for a battle of this caliber.

However, whenever the tendrils of energy cracked close to the barriers and beyond to the stadium seating, a transparent field of protective energy dispelled the harmful properties immediately. With the sign of protection, instilled by the Grand Kai no less, the audience and contenders alike began to enjoy the battle, without the fear of being dragged into it.

As they soared across the sky, they would inexplicably disappear from view, only to reappear in various spots of the sky. They left a trail of visible distortions that would've crushed entire mountains and cities within their wake. Due to the unique circumstances of the ring and how the Tournament was created, nothing would stop them from fighting to their fullest capabilities. No control needing to be placed into attacks so the planet beneath them would not be destroyed. It was all free game, and they both intended to use it to the fullest ability.

Reappearing out of their super-sped clash, Goku appeared just below a massive punch, double palm-heeling into Bojack's gut, causing a powerful reverberation of thunderous force to emit from his palms. The shockwave alone that struck the ground rattled the stadium to its tolerance before it dispelled the kinetic energy within a series of visible electrical crackles. Bojack's body pinwheeled across the open air of the stadium, striking the erect barrier placed near the west side of the stadium, leaving a visible imprint like a ripple on an ocean, before bouncing him back into an outstretched kick into his face.

"HRAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Goku roared out, as a visibly golden aura of Ki exuded from his fist, as he drove it into Bojack's face. The force was enough to wrap Bojack in an electrifying golden aura, before a magnanimous explosion of energy emitted from his body, thrusting him directly into the barrier flat, painfully crunching against its intangible surface.

Bojack could hardly believe that Goku was putting up so much of a fight. Did he really train that hard over the past six months? He knew he hadn't adopted the form that broke his jaw with a single punch, but he didn't feel it. Instead, this form that was lacking the sheer fierceness and vibrant thrumming force he knew Vegeta and Gohan adopted, this form had an unusual reserve of energy. He could only wonder how his Super Saiyan form could be this strong?!

"What's wrong, Bojack? Run out of fight already?" Goku spoke with a taunting smile, his arms crossing over his chest as he stared back at Bojack's grimacing form, "is this really all the power you have? Surely you can bring a bit more to the surface, right?"

"Shut up, trash!" Bojack snarled out, his body igniting with a violet-black aura once more, as he charged towards Goku like a mad bull, "I'll show you the true meaning of carnage!"

Rushing faster than Goku anticipated, Goku is caught within a clothesline, as Bojack accelerated up high into the spacial sky. It wouldn't be long before the two came within contact with a red-dust covered world, its gravity accelerating Bojack's momentum, and allowed him to plow Goku into its surface. Within the impact, however, nearly the entirety of the planet's facing surface indented and cracked, discharging fissures of red sediment and soil up into the air, followed by violet flames from Bojack's own energy, segmenting into the planet.

**KRAK-KOOM!** "HAAAAAAA!" Bojack roared out, as he raised a violet lit fist and struck it straight into Goku's chest, causing an enormous explosion in his wake. As Goku's body seemed to flow through the planet's core and out the other side within seconds, the entire planet exploded in a brilliant light, despite it only suffering two impacts.

As Goku's body sprawled into space, Bojack couldn't help but grin maliciously and shout boastfully.

"I've destroyed countless worlds with my bare hands! No charade or gods to hold me back now!" Bojack laughed aloud maniacally, as he pulled back his arms over his head, forming a white-emerald sphere of volatile energy, crackling with instability and priming charge.

Goku, however, was already moving back with deft speed, leaving a trail of roaring golden light. As if a star itself was aiming to strike the terror of Eastern Galaxy, Goku form zeroed in on his enemy, with reared hands in preparation.

"DIE!" Bojack roared out, as he discharged an enormous blast of emerald-white energy, consuming nearly a mile in diameter, as it flew into Goku's flight path. Bojack didn't see the dozen planets and moons that he wiped out within an instant. In fact, Bojack was so concerned creating such an inescapably large blast of energy, he blinded himself to the thought there would be no way for Goku dodge or counter his full power energy blast.

Instead, Bojack found himself gasping aloud, as he saw the Super Saiyan burst from the enormous head of his blast, perfectly safe and untouched, as he thrust forth.

**VOOM!** "GAUGH!" As Goku's fists rocketed into his chest, Bojack couldn't help but let out a pained yell, as bile and blood exited his mouth. The strike carried enough force for his entire backside to rebound visibly from the impact. The ballooning shockwave carried Bojack far into the opposite end of space, causing him to smash into several large asteroids and moons, before crashing into the center of a planet himself.

As the planet started to explode, Goku stood idle and ready in the middle of space, not bothering to follow up his chance to attack. Despite what Bojack had put his family and his planet through, he knew if he was going to win fairly, he had to act honorably as well, even if his opponent didn't have any shred of decency.

A mighty roar erupted across the imitated black vacuum, as a fireball of violet-black turned into neon white-green, blasting away any remnants the pseudo-planet had left around him. The blast's shockwave flourished Goku's hair and clothing, but did little to cause his glare to diminish. Even as Bojack powered up to his maximum strength, he showed no signs of fear or trepidation.

"TIME TO END THIS GAME, GOKU!" Bojack shouted, carrying enough force from his lungs to shake the artificial space they floated within to shake wildly.

As Bojack's lime green, shirtless and red maned form discharged a emerald-white tail of energy behind him, Goku pulled up deep recesses of energy stored deep within himself. From all those times his body had suffered pain and agony, the times his Super Saiyan form was pushed to its very limit every minute of every day, he had gained an immense store of Ki. As he pulled his arms to his side, his body seemed to shimmer with an even brighter light.

Before Bojack could reel back, Goku cried out with an immense full-body Kiai, stopping Bojack dead in his tracks and hurtling him backwards before the awesome blast of golden fire. As Goku defused his enormous golden aura to wrap around his skin, his body seemed to pulse with life and strength, creating a visible pulse within the star-lit, artificial space they hovered around them.

"This is my Full Power, Bojack, as a Super Saiyan," Goku smiled darkly at Bojack, as his body visibly glowed with rhythmic beats, "you should feel the difference in our power. You can't win. Give up, before you really get hurt."

Bojack felt his jaw tremble. He hadn't even donned the form that surpassed his full power, and he was this strong? He couldn't accept it, and showed it by laughing at the incredulity that Goku would be stronger than himself.

"Do you take me for a fool?! You think just because you flex your aura to compensate for your puny sized body suddenly makes you my better?! HA! I'm going to enjoy tearing you apart," Bojack snarled, as he rushed forward with a bloodthirsty glare, gleaming from his eyes, "LIMB FROM LIMB!"

As Bojack's gargantuan frame lunged forth with incredible momentum and speed, Goku's smile turned into a snarl, as he glared at the Herasian barbarian. As he neared his frame, less than a dozen meters away, Goku allowed one word to escape his mouth, "Why?"

Before the Herasian could anticipate what was happening, Goku's form disappeared before his eyes, and reappeared beside him. A deafening knee kick landed into his sternum, streaking with golden light and bio-electricity, launching him across the space with incredible momentum, the shockwave ballooning out for miles as he spiraled with incredible speed into a small moon, before bursting out of it from the other side.

As Goku shimmered directly into the path of the sprawling, writhing brute, he shouted back in succession, as he slammed a powerful forward punch, "Why are you so evil?!"

**CRACK!** "What drove you to become so twisted?!" **BOOM!** "What led you down this path in becoming so delighted in brutality?!" **VOOM!** "WHY ARE YOU NO DIFFERENT FROM FRIEZA OR CELL?!"

The artificial space high above the arena was filled with thunderous impacts, as Bojack's aura dimmed with each collision of Goku's outstretched limbs. Each collision of knuckle and limb against Bojack's pea green skin created a golden crack of lightning and fire, sending brilliant flashes of light to enamor the sky, repeatedly as the once feared Herasian was thrashed within skies above the arena.

Within the finality of the raining series of unforgiving, brutal blows Goku had landed upon Bojack's person, Goku roundhouse kicked him into the top side of a rocky planet, hanging just above the arena. When he landed with enough force to dent its rocky surface, Goku thrust his palm into his gut, roaring out loud with declaration, "**KAMEHAMEHA!**"

The one-handed Kamehameha blasted Bojack with a mighty flare of blue-white light, propelling his screaming body down into the arena. When his body struck the square arena, a mighty geyser of orange-red flames erupted from the landing sight, as the explosion shook the magically protected arena and stadium, but provided a blinding view of the spectacular spectacle.

Shimmering into view just on the edge of the arena, Goku arrived just in time for Bojack's fist to strike the arena ground with enough force to clear away the flames around his body. And he didn't appear to be in great shape. His body was covered by large bruise marks, his skin scarred and had a number of large gashes from where his skin ruptured from the impacts. Even his skin was burnt into a unsightly black and dark emerald hue, steaming from the most recent punishing strike dealt to his body. Blood dripped down his jaw from his panting maw, and his aura was barely shimmering in any intimidating light. The toll his energy took as he received damage reduced his energy to a point where he could barely mount a reasonable offense.

"You're in no position to win this fight as you are now, Bojack," Goku spoke with knowing, lowering his arms to his side, his pulsing aura thrumming quieter as he turned his back to the Herasian bandit, "go crawl back to your Universe spot after you proclaim your surrender. I'm done fighting someone with little motivation other than murder and violence in this Tournament."

Bojack could feel his teeth shatter under the force he ground them against each other. He balled his fists, to the point where his fingernails pierced his own wounded palms, spilling blood onto the ground. Despite heaving with exertion and wincing with fiery pain, the rage boiling within Bojack's chest was greater than he had ever felt in life.

One thought dominated all others: Son Goku needed to die!

"I'LL NEVER SURRENDER TO THE LIKES OF YOU!" Bojack roared out as he lunged forth, with surprising speed, given the state of his body. As he appeared behind Goku with an oust retched fist, Goku's face turned slightly to cast a emerald glare, that briefly surprised the galactic terminator in his tracks.

Then, he felt the blow, as his fist hit nothing but air.

Within the moment Goku's fist struck Bojack's abdominal muscles, it rend it asunder within a blast of golden energy, covering his forearm, as it fully pierced the large burnt torso. As the Super Saiyan retracted his arm, Bojack could barely move his arms to cover the hole within his midsection, barely standing from the pain and agony rushing through his body.

"You have no choice now. Get patched up and wait until the next Tournament. I'll be waiting for you," Goku spoke in a commanding tone, as he once again began walking away once more.

Instead of hearing denial or acknowledgement, Goku heard the sudden whine of a priming pair of Ki blasts. As he turned around, he saw Bojack priming his ultimate attack, the Galactic Buster, despite the blood pouring out of his mouth and the blatantly large hole.

"Prepare...kaff...to meet your...kaff...end, GOKU!" As the spheres grew, the emerald-white energy crackled with instability, with black tendrils streaking out as their mass and size increased astronomically.

"Galactic Bu-" Bojack began to cry out, as he swung his massive arms forward, before Goku's body shimmered directly in front of him. His eyes widened with shock, having no ability to sense his approach, despite his senses being heightened and alert. So how...?!

"**YOU FOOL!**" Goku shouted out at the top of his lungs, as he extended his right hand towards Bojack's body. Within an instant, his palm began unleashing a mighty fissure of golden energy, overpowering the primed Galactic Buster orbs, and enrapturing Bojack in its fiery torrent. He didn't have time to scream or cower, as his skin was burn off his muscles along with his bones, before being totally disintegrated into dust.

All that was left of the remains of Bojack was a single golden halo, clattering on the ground, still shining brightly of its existence being intact.

As he lowered his hand, Goku heaved heavily, as he glared at the ashes of that was left of the genocidal warlord. Without wasting a breath, he turned his heels on the remains, and the halo, as the latter floated up and flew over to the Eastern Galactic Quadrant barrier seating, and landed unceremoniously with a thud, dictating his defeat.

Goku had won the first of battle of the Other World Tournament. He just hoped that the rest of the battles he would have would go so well...

* * *

**A/N**: _And with that, I bring to a close the first battle of the Other World Tournament._

_First of all, I have inspiration from _Yu Yu Hakusho_ for the chosen title, back in one of the Tournament Arcs for Yusuke as the title of an episode he was in. I felt it fitting, even if there was only ONE battle taking place in this chapter. _

_I really hoped I captured just how BIG this Tournament should have been, as well as the growth that Bardock and Hanassia have undergone as being parents to Goku. Having such a pure, innocent soul around them probably is making them feel regret about their choice actions, both in life and death. I hope it fleshes out their characters a bit more as the chapters continue to unfold them. _

_It was fun to write the battle of Bojack vs Goku. While not as long as some of my other fights, I felt like it shouldn't have been an elongated battle. Point being, Goku's Full-Powered SS form is at such a height from the constant death/injury ration he suffers through training both at the hands of his father and mother, that he's reached a new peak that surpasses what is thought capable of a Super Saiyan. _

_Also, my rationality why Bojack and Goku can blow up planets by powered punches is simple. The way that energy works at a level from Final Form Frieza and onwards is that energy is controlled to such a finite extent, that explosions, punches, and movement is restricted to keep the integrity of a planet intact. Since at the level of Vegeta, back in the Saiyan Saga, dictated that HE could destroy planets either with ease or with a full powered blast, it would stand to reason that beings a hundred times or more stronger than him at THAT point in the Saga would be able to unleash such powerful strikes that would demolish worlds. So that's my mentality and understanding of why battles of SS and upper Super Saiyan caliber battles don't demolish worlds, mostly due to the restrictive feeling of trying to keep a breathable atmosphere and planet underneath your feet. _

_If you have any thoughts of what battles I should write up next, ones I should detail or touch upon. I promised a couple of you that I'd cameo OC's that you submitted via PM if I found a place for them in the chapters to come, and I hope I don't disappoint. If there are any vague or specific characters you'd like to suggest me to detail in a battle, let me know._

_I'll see you guys next week on the next chapter of the Other World Saga! _


	8. Battles of Kings, Demons, and Monsters!

**THE OTHER WORLD SAGA**

* * *

**Chapter 8 - Battles of Kings, Demons, and Monsters!**

* * *

**Silence.**

That was the one thing that captivated the entire audience during the end of the climactic battle. Denizens of Hell and residents of Heaven equally had their mouths agape, their eyes widened, and their throats go dry at such a spectacular execution. The fact that they all knew who the two were, one being a protector of the innocent and cherished his family dearly, while the other was a brute with barbaric power that at one time gave rise to make even the gods fear him, made it all an awe-inspiring spectacle.

Most the Kais were left utterly speechless, much like most of the audience.

"Wow! That boy of yours sure got a lot stronger, King Kai!" South Kai spoke aloud with awe and wonder, never expecting to see such a spectacular display of dominance over his worst nightmare, "he may put up a good fight against Rao!"

King Kai couldn't believe how much stronger Goku's training had made him. He could barely control the ecstatic smile on his face. Seeing Bojack, the object of his own fears that paralleled to the menace that Cell was, put in his place right before his eyes made him truly believe in his disciple. Perhaps, he truly could win this Tournament after all.

"Don't get too excited, King Kai," West Kai shook his head, clearing the daze that was placed over him by the battle's climax, gesturing down towards the Western Quadrant waiting area, where Pikkon stood stoically, "my Pikkon hardly batted an eye during that fight. He's more than capable of taking your Champion on."

"Let's not forget my, Aosai! She may not look it, but she's about as fiery spirited and passionate on the battlefield as Goku is!" East Kai implored, shaking a fist at the others with indignation.

"All of you can shove it!" King Kai turned on the others, standing on his own seat to give himself a superior view over the other three Kais, more notably to East and West Kai's opposing, "Goku's going to grind your champions in the dirt, and he's going to take home the prize! That's right," turning to shake his posterior at East and West, he proceeded in smacking it at their direction, "you can kiss my tush when this all done, haha!"

"Why you-!" West Kai snarled.

"King Kai, you brute!" East glowered back at King Kai.

"_Why can't you all settle down? I swear, this Tournament is just making you even more argumentative than before,_" South sighed, as he mentally lamented, leaning his face against a large hand.

"Can ya'll settle down? I'm going to get this Tournament goin' and let the announcer do his stuff," Grand Kai spoke in a chiding tone.

"Yes, Grand Kai," the Kais spoke with an apologetic sigh, satisfying the elder Kai.

"Alright then," the Grand Kai spoke with a smile on his face, standing up and throwing his arms out, as he shouted to the stadium, "how was that for a first fight, huh?!"

A unanimous roar of applause shook the massive arena, as the audience from both Heaven and Hell agreed on the fight's spectacular display. With such a world shattering battle they have witnessed, they couldn't wait to see many more.

"Glad to hear it!" Grand Kai chuckled at hearing the overpowering sound that shook even the viewing box of the Kais, "now, I will hand the reigns of announcement and refereeing over to my confidant, Tostool!"

Coming out of the shadows underneath the Kais' viewing box, an impressively short entity leaped out, landing on the grass divider between the North Quadrant's direction and the Kais themselves. His head was crowned to resemble a mushroom, with red matted coloration dotted with yellow spots. His own pea green skin showed only his jawline and his hands, as the rest of his attire was more professional, bearing blue dress suit with red tie and black dress slacks.

With a smile, he raised his own microphone, speaking aloud in a charismatic voice, "GREEEEEEEEEEEEEETINGS LAAAAAADIES AND GENTLEMAAAAAAAAAAN! ARE YOU ALL READY TO GET THE OTHER WORLD TOURNAMENT UNDERWAY?!"

With a successive roar of enthusiastic applause, Tostool smiled and twirled, pointing towards the hovering digital screen above the stadium, "THEN LET THE SECOND ROUND OF THE TOURNAMENT, BEGIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIN!"

* * *

Goku traversed through the initial crowd of contestants of the North Galaxy, having witnessed the de-powered Saiyan's true might in the ring, against a legendary monster no less, and didn't receive more than a few scratches. However, Goku could sense the eyes of other less intimidated entities surrounding him. While he couldn't place his thumb on it, they felt familiar yet were concealed from total recognition. Shrugging it off, Goku approached the cluster of Saiyans, with his parents standing at the head of them.

"Glad to have you back in one piece, son," Bardock spoke with a proud smile, "couldn't have done that battle better myself."

"I've seen better," Hanassia spoke dryly as she shrugged.

"Ah, c'mon! That was totally better than you're takedown of King Cold!" Bardock threw his arms up incredulously, as his eyes comically bulged to glare at his mate.

"I'm just saying, I've seen better," Hanassia smiled wryly, sideglancing Bardock as she approached her son. With a lightly tap her son's breastplate with an outstretched left fist, winking at him, "but that's not to say that was a helluva battle. Great job kicking that guy's ass, Kakarot."

"Thanks, mom," Goku smiled with relief, glad to see his parents were in such a good spirits. What started out as a competitive battle between himself and a skilled opponent, turned out to be a battle of philosophical differences, just as he dealt with Frieza in their one-time battle on Namek all those years ago. He lost himself to the passion he felt in condescending the murderous brute that sought his family's deaths, and gave him every opportunity to be a fair sport in their battle. In the end, he found no difference between the enemies he combated.

He was just glad that his ideals didn't shine so bright in the conflict, that his parents would shun him or avert their gaze. Apparently, his worries were unfounded, alleviating the burden of stress off his shoulders, as he took his place in between him and his parents.

As Bardock looked over his shoulder, he saw mixed reactions from his squadmates.

Fasha had a smirk on her face, as she eyed up Goku after seeing his fight. Only when her gaze was met with a disapproving glare by Bardock, she rolled her eyes with humor and raised her hands in defense.

Tora's eyes were wide and his shock was still being registered of what he witnessed, just as the other two were.

"Yeah, this Tournament is certainly going to be an interesting one, that's for certain," Bardock thought as he looked up at the board, as the names began cycling, "and with the way this started, its going to be one Hell of a ride."

* * *

"W-What did I just witness?! How is Goku so much stronger?!" Frieza cried out with indignation, mingled with genuine fear. He could taste the power that wafted over the magic barriers protecting the contestants and the audience alike. To think that his long hated enemy would gain so much strength in a short amount of time, and pulverize the likes of Bojack into oblivion effortlessly was unfathomable to his mind, "why...why is he taunting me so?! When I get my hands on his neck, I will-!"

"Frieza, if you don't stop your sniveling, I'll do everyone a favor and break that spineless back of yours," King Cold growled, his eyes casting a red-tinted glare in his direction, causing Frieza to shrink back in fear.

Satisfied that Frieza seethed in silence, Cold drew his eyes back to Goku and the rest of his family of Super Saiyans. From his observations, Goku held a considerable plateau of power that dwarfed most of the participating fighters. How long he'd last, injuries sustained and stamina depletion, was entirely unclear before he'd come to blows with him.

Unlike his sons, he never had a desire to dirty his hands with barbaric violence. He had earned his place as a king among the galaxy, taking a considerably healthy mate as his wife to bear his children. Because of the enormity of strength that his second son showed upon birth, Cold had disregarded his firstborn entirely, thus began his favoritism for the prodigious and stronger youngest son.

It was because of this ignorance that he hadn't realized how utterly annoying...and stupid...his youngest spawn was. He had tolerated it, even in death, for as long as he could. But now, under the pretense of possible freedom through victory of the Tournament, he couldn't bear to withstand Frieza's arrogant and ironically cowardly based disposition any longer. For the six months since the day that he rebuked his son, Cold had meditated and trained to control his power, intending to don the role of warrior once again, that he forsook centuries ago.

Speaking of his eldest son, Cold's eyes drew over to a far corner of the North Quadrant gathering area for all contestants from the Northern Galaxy. He stood stoically, with an immovable stance, as if he was a statue. Had it not been for the slight dilation of his eyes as they tracked Goku's movements through the battle, or when the battle was finished, he thought Cooler was dead on his feet. It was...unnerving...how dispassionate to his surroundings he was, as if he didn't care to integrate himself with the atmosphere of the festivities around him.

"_Cooler,_" Cold thought as his own red eyes locked onto the far-gazing entity that stood dozens of meters away, "_I never cared to understand you, nor have I studied any action you've made in life or in this world until now. I can only imagine what you're thinking...behind that steel cage of a mind you possess._"

* * *

The King of the Royal Arcosian Family wasn't the only one being observant of the past fight, and the reactions of those around him.

The Bio-Android stared impassively at Goku, visibly unaffected but inwardly shaken by Goku's dramatic increase of power. From observing the method of Goku's training from afar, Cell had to give the Saiyan credit for determination and grit. The pay-off was considerably more than Cell would've liked, but did little to make him lose his calm composure he possessed.

"Even if he tamed his secondary transformation without my noticing, it won't be a problem. Not at the level I achieved," Cell thought confidently, allowing a dark smile to cross his lips.

After all, he was far more concerned with the mysterious screams and the fluctuation of power that day he attained his new peak of power. That, and there were quite a collection of strong entities, each of them coming close or rivaling his own strength. There even seemed like an, ominous aura of darkness that mingled with all the other presences surrounding him. Even with his enhanced senses, Cell couldn't pin-point its origin.

With a shrug, he decided to relinquish his curiosity, and allow himself to sate his slowly building anticipation by watching the next fights.

* * *

**Battle 4**

**WHAM! **"Gaugh!" A powerful concussive force drilled into the amphibious fighter, thrusting him out of the large water prison he had formed, and nailing him into the distant wall. The circles that comically flowed around his eyes dictated his unconscious state, before he fell down onto the grassy field of the out of bounds area. Upon the exiting of the large aquatic sphere, the moisture lost its integrity and density, allowing it to flow freely onto the arena.

Landing on one foot, with the other gracefully tucked behind the other, a large muscular warrior appeared released from the wet and oxygen deprived. A brief glow of transparent white energy quickly dried his muscular, armored body, allowing a smile to stretch gently across the effeminite visage of the ex # 1 soldier underneath Frieza's command.

"You let down your guard at the last second," Zarbon spoke aloud with a confident tone, as he flicked his braided ponytail flourishing over his white breastplate, to rest over his cape-covered back, "Graceful as you may be underwater, you lack the precision for strikes to damage me enough to lose my breath. Consider this advice from one beautiful warrior, to one of less visible appeal."

"Uhhhhhh," With a comical flop, Arqua, the martial artist of the Eastern Quadrant from Heaven had faceplanted on the grass, officially declaring his opponent's victory.

"WHAT AN AMAZING TURN OF EVENTS," Tostool announced with an ecstatic grin, in which the crowd cried out joy at the battle's end and its swift climax, "THE EMERALD HAIRED FIGHTER HAD THE UPPER HAND UNTIL THE WATER TRAPPED HIM IN ARQUA'S ENVIRONMENT. BUT AT THE LAST SECOND, ZARBON DELIVERS A SWIFT STRIKE TO ARQUA'S FACE, AND HURTLED HIM OUT OF HIS OWN BUBBLE, KNOCKING HIM OUT OF BOUNDS! THIS OFFICIALLY MAKES ZARBON THE WINNER OF THE FOURTH MATCH!"

As Zarbon floated back to the Northern Quadrant, he could only smile with pride that he managed to beat one of Heaven's Champions. The year of training ontop of his daily exercises he put himself through for the years he's been committed to Hell had certainly bolstered his stamina and raised his energy level considerably. Passing the first round, in his own opinion, was a blessing. He could only hope his luck continues to be that way, and not be stuck with a powerful warrior, like Frieza or the Super Saiyans.

The East Kai, in all her infuriating demeanor, shouted from her perch within the box at the slowly rising Arqua, "1,000 Laps you weak-gilled fool around the Grand Kai's planet! ONE THOUSAND LAPS!"

While King Kai snickered along with West Kai, South Kai could only sigh with sympathy as the short amphibian ran towards the exit of the stadium, passing by quite a few snickering contestants within the North Quadrant waiting area.

Bardock, however, could only roll his eyes at the sound of the punishment, "She calls that harsh? Man, most of the fighters of Heaven must be weak if that's all they push them."

"Wrap them in weighted clothing about a ton in scale, and do it on the index fingers, then it might be worth doing it in the cushy atmosphere the saints get on that blasted planet," Hanassia snorted at the thought.

"I don't know. He almost had that guy. If he hadn't used the same combo over and over, he could've forced the guy to pass out in his bubble prison," Goku commented, while absent-mindedly scratching his chin as he spoke his thoughts.

Musing didn't last long, as the Tostool turned all attention back to the digital board, "ALRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIGHT! THE MATCH-UP FOR THE FIFTH MATCH IS..."

As the names stopped cycling all at once, showing a pair of notable names, both to Hell and Heaven:

**CELL**

**VS**

**TORBIE**

At the drop of the infamous Cell, and the known champion fighter of the South Galaxy's names, the crowd went wild. The palpable enthusiasm within the shouts shook the air, and immediately drew the eyes and attention of the contestants towards the two fighters.

As Cell used Instant Transmission to appear on the arena, faster than anyone could register his presence or his movement, the jungle camouflage-colored Android stood ready and waiting with his arms crossed, a delighted smile stretched across his pale face. He was glad that his fight was so soon, otherwise the boredom of seeing many ameteurs do battle before him would make his interest in the Tournament wane to nothing. He could only ponder who this Torbie was...

And as such, a red-black figure flew over to the stadium and landed a good ten meters away, revealing himself to his opponent.

However, as Cell narrowed his eyes with confusion, he suddenly saw a visible relation to his own body to the alien standing not too far away.

Torbie's body had red muscular skin that was exposed on his upper arms, thighs, and face, while his neck was pasty white. His forearms, shins, feet, upper torso and head were all covered with a burgundy-black carapace that looked like bio-armor. Instead of a pair of crests, he wore a posterior-veiled helm, similar to those of human's ancient Roman infantry helmets. He also had a pair of burgundy-black colored wings, holding actual thin filaments that were connected to the armored extensions connected to his shoulder blades, unlike Cell who had the wings on mostly for show.

It was uncanny to Cell, as well as Torbie, how much they looked alike to each other.

But that didn't phase Cell. Rather, it delighted him to find someone with an appealing visage, rather than the primate Saiyans or the slug-looking Namekains. Now he could fight someone he didn't want to retch at the thought of looking so much lesser.

Before the fight began, Cell smiled as he throatily chuckled, "I'm going to enjoy fighting you, my _red brother_."

As Cell said that, Torbie suddenly could fully sense the surface of the endless well of power flowing deep within the Bio-Android's body. It was at this point, that his face grimaced with hesitation and fear, as he spoke lowly to himself, "This...is bad..."

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAND LET THE FIFTH MATCH...BEGIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIN!"

* * *

It all happened within an instant.

One moment Torbie's eyes were fixated on the dark smiling, doppleganger of an opponent. The next, he felt an explosion of pain well up within his abdomen, spreading up throughout his entire torso, down to his toes and finger tips. His eyes bulged, as his skin vibrated from the concussive force, issued from a pale fist driving deep into his torso, and created a deafening shockwave that rocked the whole stadium, and rattled the arena ground.

"GAUUUUUUUUUUUUGH!" Torbie's breath left his lungs, along with a good amount of saliva, as his legs shook violently, and his arms twitched. The power from one punch from this monster, and he was already having second thoughts in continuing the battle.

"I'm sorry, was that too hard for you?" Cell mocked with a evil laugh, as he retracted his fist from Torbie's violet-colored bruised abdomen, allowing him to cover it in a hopeless attempt to protect it, while nursing the pain flooding his nervous system, "maybe I should allow you to warm up. I really should watch my own strength, since I am dealing with someone far inferior to myself."

That struck a chord in bi-pedal insect, causing him to growl, even as violet-colored blood leaked from his mouth.

"Rgh!" Rearing back his hands, as his wings unfurled back, beating the vein protrusions from his back at visibly distorting speeds. With a simple deft lunge, Torbie launched himself to tackle Cell as he took off with enough speed to crack the air pressure of the arena.

But just as before, one moment he found himself barreling towards his enemy, but then lost sight of him, as if he disappeared from all sight and sensation. Then he felt a earth-shattering punch collide against his jaw, causing him to careen in the opposite direction, flowing with the ballooning outwards until it gently rocked the barrier that protected the audience and fellow contenders alike.

Torbie gritted his teeth, as he generated a pulse of Ki from his body and halted himself in mid-air, landing back on his feet as he regarded his enemy.

"_What's going on? Its not like he's much faster than me. He's not even using Ki to just simply move around me. I'd feel the air currents if he did so, and the vibration of Ki discharge from his body. So how can he move so quickly?_" Torbie analyzed, as he reached one arm up to wipe the blood leaking from his mouth.

Cell landed on the ground with a soft tap, his arms crossed over his chest, and his face shown amusement, as if he could tell exactly what his enemy was thinking. He had an unsettling laugh escape his throat, before he goaded the look-alike with a wave of his hand, "C'mon, then! I don't have all day, and this is beginning to bore me!"

"Let's try something else then," Torbie nodded with determination, with his plan in mind.

Rearing back his wings, he began to vibrate them as they beat at even higher speeds than before. Before the technique began to take affect, Torbie shouted out with declaration, "Chirping Screech!"

* * *

**SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE EEEEEEEEEEEEE...!**

The nightmarish, high-pitched distortion of sound waves penetrated any natural deflection the magic barrier had, considering its non-lethal nature. For the audience, as well as most of the entirety of the contenders, they wish they were dead.

"THE HELL IS THIS SOUND?!" Bardock snarled out, as he covered his ears, as he almost fell to his knees from it.

"WHAT?!" Hanassia yelled back with inquiry, not hearing what her mate said.

"I SAID, THE HELL IS THIS SOUND!" Bardock yelled back.

"WHAT?! SPEAK UP, I CAN'T HEAR YOU PAST THIS AWFUL NOISE!" Hanassia shouted back.

"WHAT?!" Bardock asked with inquiry.

"_Man, I can't tell what's worse,_" Goku lamented, as he covered his ears under the sound of the beating wings' piercing pitch, "_this sound, or my parents yelling right next to me!_"

* * *

"AGH! MY EARS! I CAN'T TAKE THIS SOUND!" The Grand Kai lamented aloud, as the other four Kais cried out in dismay.

"D-D-DARN IT, TORBIE! W-W-WHY DID YOU HAVE TO USE THAT TECHNIQUE?!" South Kai asked incredulously, despite its rhetorical nature.

"MY HEAD'S GOING TO CRACK, I JUST KNOW IT!" King Kai moaned in protest at the sound.

"SOMEONE TELL CELL TO SURRENDER OR STOP TORBIE! I CAN'T TAKE THIS RINGING!" East Kai griped, squinting her eyes behind her sunglasses.

* * *

**Pain.**

For the first time since his body was tactfully obliterated into tiny pieces by Bojack that he felt such pain enter his body. Being so close in proximity, moreso than the distant audience and contenders, it felt as if his insides were lit on fire, being shoved from a screech that wouldn't end through the nubs on either side of his head, controlling his auditory reception.

Raising his hands instinctively, he immediately formulated a plan to be rid of the nightmarish ringing.

Then, Cell's eyes were drawn to the fire that was being generated from Torbie's mouth, as he gathered enough energy to make a considerably condensed wave of heat to unleash on his opponent. With deft analysis, Cell's eyes widened even more when he discovered the intensity of the heat within his enemy's maw had enough potency to burn his skin to ash, he reacted instantly.

"**Scorching Breath Wave!**"

"BLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRR!" Torbie roared out, as he unleashed his mouth-directed beam of crimson-white energy towards Cell's face, he still looked as if he was trembling underneath the constant screeching waves ushered by his wings. This would finally be his first blow, and hopefully the only one he needed to finish him off.

But then, something happened that unnerved the maw blazing doppelganger of Cell: _He smiled_.

**CRACK!** "Nice try!" Cell crowed out, as his hands retracted from the sides of his head, allowing his right palm to slap the beam away, causing it to ricochet and explode into a brilliant ball of flame upon the Northern Quadrant seating and contestant waiting area.

While Torbie's eyes widened at the sudden show of effortless force in back-handing his attack, he suddenly found Cell rushing forward, landing a near-crippling knee kick into his sternum, following up with a air-popping spinning kick to the side of the head.

With a resounding crash, Torbie found his back skidding across the arena for a good thirty meters, creating a vivid trench along with sparks of bio-electricity, having tagged upon the bi-pedal insect man's body from the two strikes on his person. When he stopped, Torbie began to pull himself up, realizing his technique had failed, causing relief to fill the stadium once more, Kais included.

"H-How?!" Torbie asked incredulously, his face beading with sweat from pain he endured, as well as his inability to even touch the Bio-Android.

"Confused? Allow me to enlighten you," Cell spoke with a sinister smile, as he began walking in Torbie's direction, allowing his voice to resonate the stadium, tapping his head in emphasis, "while I was in constant pain from that technique of yours, I began to contemplate how to overcome it. Then, I realized that you were not aiming at my body, but moreover, my sense of hearing, in order to paralyze me. What appeared to be me covering my ears, was merely a ploy. As you charged your big finish, I erected a shield over my auditory receptors, what you may call a sound proof barrier of energy that dampened your screech's affects to a minute minimum."

"_T-This...this is no ordinary fighter. To be able to have free range over his own body and deliver such carefully planned, well executed countermeasures to nullify my technique completely...is not normal, even for a skilled warrior,_" Torbie comprehended as his face beaded with sweat and his body shook with spasms of pain and despair.

"Though tell you what. I'm feeling generous, _red brother_, if you have any technique that can raise that pitiful power of yours high enough to challenge me, I might take you seriously," Cell spoke with a gentleman tone that didn't reflect the dark smile stretching across his face.

"Y-You're...a...monster!" Torbie growled aloud, balling his fists as he glared at the slow striding menace heading his way. Veins began to stretch across his arms, legs, and forehead, as he began to draw up energy deep within his core. Red tendrils of bio-electricity began to crackle around his body, stretching from just a few centimeters, to a dozen meters within a flash, causing Cell to halt his approach.

"So, still got some fight left in you?" Cell asked with amusement, letting his arms cross over his chest, eyeing the effigy of his own body draw up some form of power that he had yet to show, "go on then! Show it to me! I want to crush you at your best, and nothing less!"

"Like all monsters...you must be...DESTROYED!" Torbie shouted out, as his eyes glazed over with a red-white glow, his body suddenly discharging a voluminous pillar of orange-white flames as he let out a guttural scream, "_**RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!**_"

The stadium shook with intensity as Torbie's power raised dramatically, even as his being became veiled within the skyscraper sized twister of orange-white energy that twisted and flourished around the arena and in front of the audience.

* * *

"W-Whoa!" Goku's eyes opened wide, surprised to see such a technique raise the fighter's power level so high, "i-is that the Kaio-ken?!"

"No," answered a fighter proximate to Goku's left. As the Saiyan, along with his parents, turned their heads they would see a towering, burly human, draped in a white tunic with leather sandals. His long golden hair gave his visage a handsome appearance, as well as a familiar deified one, as the yellow curls were almost as bright as Goku's own hair when he transformed into a Super Saiyan, "that is a technique Torbie developed after losing to me a hundred years ago."

"Oh," Goku blinked in surprise, having never been introduced to the human warrior standing next to him. He was easily almost three heads taller, and with a muscular disposition that would put any warrior that Goku met to shame, appearance wise, "and you are?"

"Sorry, King Kai must have meant to introduce you to me when you trained on Grand Kai's planet. I guess you had your own preferred method of training," the giant spoke back with a smile, reaching down to shake Goku's hand, "my name is Olibu. I was considered Earth's Guardian many years ago."

"Wow, my name's Goku," The Saiyan spoke with good cheer, reaching out and shaking his predecessor's hand. He could feel a powerful well of energy, lurking deep within the man's body. It relieved Goku that the man was not only in good spirits, but also had a competitive level that would give him a challenge in the ring, "so, what's that technique's name, then, if it isn't Kaio-ken?"

"Right," Olibu turned his gaze to watch the towering aura of flames shrink down into a thick, fiery aura that thrummed vibrantly around Torbie's armored body with intensity, "its a technique he developed to break the gap of power he had with other strong fighters. You could say its a cousin of the Kaio-ken, but a bit more stable. Its called..."

* * *

"**Hanmyo Reiki!**" Torbie announced with a smile, his body now thrumming with the orange current of Ki.

Cell, while impressed by the light show and the considerable rise of energy his enemy had, furrowed his brows with confusion by what Torbie said.

"Hanmyo wha-?" Cell began to ask, but never got the chance. He found his face knee-kicked by a much faster Torbie, and then was repeatedly pummeled on all angles by the bi-pedal insect man.

* * *

"I-I've never seen Torbie use that technique with such power before!" South Kai spoke with surprise and awe, having never witnessed any of Torbie's progress personally while the entity trained on Grand Kai's planet for a handful of weeks, "to think he's improved this much in the century I've seen him fight, let alone this past year!"

"And Cell's yet to get serious," King Kai spoke with a grave tone, feeling a bead of sweat crawl down his plump, blue jawline.

"W-What do you mean?!" South asked with sudden alarm.

"I mean this match was over the moment they stepped into the ring. Cell's been toying with Torbie this whole time, trying to get him to reveal his true power. Now that he's pulled out his ace in the hole, Cell's bound to step up his game to counter him," King Kai spoke with a sigh, lowering his head solemnly, "this battle is already over."

* * *

**BOOM-BOOM-BOOM-BOOM!** The atmosphere was filled with sonic decompression, popping the air as limb met limb, and fist met fist. The two similar bi-pedal insect men were moving in and out of view for most of the audience, with only some of the contestants able to track their attacks and movements. It was like watching two super powers, moving in and out of view with jetstreams of golden and orange energy in their wake as they crashed repetitively, causing ballooning shockwaves the rain down upon.

Within a moment, however, an explosive blast of yellow energy filled the sky, as Torbie's body crashed into the arena below, skidding on his hands and knees.

As Cell appeared directly above Torbie, the latter pulled back his hands, lighting up all of his fingers, before letting loose a volley of crimson needle blasts.

"**Blazing Stinger Barrage!**"

"Ha! Is that all?" Cell inquired as he raised his hand to point at the incoming blasts, letting loose his own barrage of Death Beams, causing a cacophony of bright blasts to emerge between the two.

The briefest moment Torbie blinked away the spots in his vision, a magnanimous shout was heard...

"**SPECIAL BEAM CANNON!**"

...which was succeeded by a spiraling beam of violet-golden energy, spearing through Torbie's upper torso, leaving a gaping hole in his chest, as it crashed into the ground behind him, carving a deep trench behind him, before exploding dramatically behind him.

"H-How...is this...possible?! My Hanmyo Reiki is still matched and outclassed by you?! What are you?!" Torbie gasped aloud, barely able to cover the wound, as the flames of his aura began to wane, his energy plummeting as his life force took a critical blow.

"Now don't feel bad, my proud red brother," Cell spoke with a dark smile, as he landed with a tap on the arena ground, walking towards his opponent with a confident stride, "I have defeated many proud fighters, many of them as strong or stronger than you can begin to imagine. But there is one thing that separates me from any fighter here and in the living world..."

**CRAAAAAAAACK!** "I AM CELL!" Cell shouted out with a vicious smile on his face, as his body propelled towards Torbie and launched a powerful right hook, smashing into the look-alike bi-pedal alien's jaw. An audible crack was heard within the ballooning force of crackling force that distorted the stadium's ring, causing him to spiral out of the ring in a corkscrewing manner.

A vicious smash of Torbie's body striking the North Quadrant's barrier, before falling onto the grassy field before them.

Torbie, in his final moments of consciousness, as his skull rattled and his jaw broken, could only think a few thoughts before passing into unconsciousness, "At first...I thought I should destroy such a creature...but now, more than anything...I want him to train me..."

Tostool, having been in a state of shock watching the battle, shook his head before returning to his mike, shouting excitedly, "WOW! WHAT A FIGHT! TORBIE DIDN'T STAND A CHANCE AGAINST CELL! WITH TORBIE LANDING OUT OF BOUNDS, CELL IS NAMED THE WINNER OF THE FIFTH ROUND!"

"_Now then, with Darth Carapace taken care of, its time to address the elderly,_" Cell though to himself smugly, as his gaze fixated at the distant viewing booth of the Kais, directing his vision to center on the Grand Kai. Raising right hand, he curled all of his fingers into a fist, with the exception of his middle finger, deliberately showing it towards the Kais, as a satisfied smile stretched across his face. After hearing a good amount of outrage, gasps, and the reactions he was hoping to receive, he put his hand down and proceeded to walk off stage, "_now, just proceed to waltz off stage like a badass. I truly am awesome, hahaha!_"

* * *

"That Cell really has no manners," Grand Kai murmured, his brow creasing after he received Cell's _message_, "its no wonder he's in Hell."

"Yeah, that's tame compared to the sick jokes that Cell's come up with when he was alive," King Kai grumbled, almost worried that Cell would appear and slap them as part of his prank, "but yeah, he's probably the rudest creature I've ever seen, next to Bojack that is."

"Now see here! Bojack wasn't ever rude, per se, but moreover a brute who has no sense of honor," South corrected King, with a wag of his own finger, "but I will agree, that Cell character is a piece of work. Mhm, I can see why he doesn't mind Hell's atmosphere. He practically brings Hell _with_ him."

"Nyaha! Good one, South!" King Kai snickered, fist-bumping his larger compatriot, causing his other two Kais to roll their eyes.

* * *

"B-B-Bird...Birdie...Birdie!" Goku twitched oddly at the sight of Cell's middle finger being raised, disturbingly following Cell's hand until it unfurled into splayed fingers, "oh goodness, the bird's gone! Where did it go-?!"

"Kakarot, snap out of it!" Hanassia slapped Goku comically side to side, knocking the stupor that Goku had been placed in.

"Ow-ow-ow, stop it, mom, I give!" Goku winced from the series of slaps to his face, raising his hands in defense.

"Uh...care to clue me in?" Bardock raised a brow with curiosity, never having seen Goku suddenly spasm in that manner.

With a belated sigh, Hanassia massaged her temples as she turned to address her mate, "Well, you see, Kakarot didn't always excel in his first few months training with me. So, I had a special method of discipline in order to discourage such laziness..."

**FLASH BACK**

_"J-Just...let me...take a...break...hah...hah...hah!" Goku panted, as let the mountain sized boulder drop from his feet, and fall straight onto his back, as his forefingers gave out from the stress._

_Hanassia's incredulous wrath was so palpable, the temperature around her was magnified scores higher in comparison to the heat exhaustion that made Goku sweat like crazy. As her body was wrapped in a sinister violet-black aura of pure, unadulterated rage, she approached Goku slowly, standing just over him._

_As Goku's vision swam, he saw Hanassia raise her middle finger for him to see, speaking in a level, irate tone, "Watch the birdie, Kakarot. If you stop watching it, bad things are a'coming. Baaaaaaaaaaaaaad things!" _

_Goku desperately tried to lock his eyes on the middle finger. He knew it was a form of profanity, to which he didn't care for, back on Earth, but he didn't know it was universal. But his vision swam, and his exhaustion was causing his eyes to start rolling around, averting his gaze away from the offensive upright finger. It wasn't until his eyes rolled to the back of his head, that reality came crashing down, and the wrath of his mother, was made very well known. _

_"I SAID KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE BIRDIE, KAKAROT! KEEP! YOUR! EYES! ON! THE! BIRDIE!" Hanassia snarled out with whited-out eyes, as she slammed her foot into Goku's face, while grasping his suddenly upright ankles. With every push, a pulse of energy washed over Goku, electrifying him and sending destructive fissures to crack and blast apart the proximate landscape scaling across their training ground. _

**END FLASH BACK**

"Ever since that day, Goku's remembered whenever I say, watch the You-Know-What, and he snaps into a reverie that allows him to go back on his feet, regardless of his body's condition," Hanassia finished, snapping in emphasis of her control over Goku's mental state. As she rested her hands on her hips, she furrowed her brows, "but it turns out that killed him quite a few times. Eventually I didn't have to even think about evoking that trick, considering his focus in the last half year."

Bardock sweatdropped, as he noted the look of bittersweet satisfaction on his mate's face, and the sheepish grin of anxiety on Goku's face, obviously remembering the experience himself all too well.

"I guess that sums it up pretty well. Hanassia's the strongest female Saiyan, and she doesn't take weakness in men too well. Just remembering what she did to Raditz still makes me shudder," Bardock pondered, as he did his best to forget the episodic explaination to Goku's new mental trauma.

Olibu himself couldn't help but laugh haughtily in amusement at the family atmosphere surrounding the three known Super Saiyans. He could only hope to match their vigor and enthusiasm with his own passion.

* * *

**Battle 16**

"THIS IS FOR NOT KILLING VEGETA WHEN YOU HAD THE CHANCE!" Frieza snarled out, immediately when the match started. With a wave of his hand, a pulse of Ki flowed forth too fast for his opponent to see, before inserting itself into his body.

Cui, the one person unfortunate enough to face Frieza during one of his worst moods, felt himself injected with something hot and boiling. He felt as if he was going to burn up, but he couldn't escape, as the Arcosian Prince's telekinetic grasp lifted him up into the air, as the asexual producing alien squealed with helplessness and fear.

"W-Wait! F-F-Frieza! You can't possibly hold a grudge on me for tha-AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIEEEEE E!" Cui screeched out in agony as his body exploded from the inside out, as a brilliant blaze of red-orange flames flew out from his chest and blew him into ashen-layered bits, raining down onto the arena below him.

As a dark smile of satisfaction crossed Frieza, he spoke aloud with amusement, "You know, I think there's some form of hubristic irony to this whole situation, but I am far too distracted by how good it was to blow someone to tiny bits."

The audience was briefly paused, before a series of cheers and boos were heard, for the fight didn't last nearly as long as the series of battles before his. Frieza relished their cries of amazement and their outrage equally, raising his body into the air as he crossed his arms before flying back casually to land near his father's side within the Northern Quadrant's waiting area.

"Feeling better?" Cold asked sarcastically, rolling his eyes at seeing the look of contentment on his youngest son's face.

"Much," Frieza spoke with admittance, as he chuckled cruelly, "there may be stronger powers here, but I'm certain my vast array of skills can make that all irrefutably inconsequential."

Tostool was still lost for words. Despite expecting to see death in the Tournament, what he witnessed was just...cold...and unnaturally sadistic. After he cleared his throat, he tried to get the next battle going, "UH...RIGHT THEN, DUE TO FRIEZA BLOWING AWAY THE COMPETITION MAKES HIM THE INDISPUTABLE WINNER OF THE SIXTEENTH BATTLE!"

* * *

"That was...," Bardock began to say.

"Anticlimactic?" Hanassia finished with a raised brow.

"Yeah, that," Bardock nodded, frowning as he saw Frieza float over with a smug expression, "geeze, that guy can certainly get in a good mood after murdering somebody, let alone one of his own lackeys."

"He's scum," Goku spoke with an audible anger that caused both parents to divert their eyes to Goku with surprise, "he's not even worth competing against. I'd rather fight Bojack over again if I could keep myself from entering into the ring with that monster. Weak or not, he's got no heart or passion for fighting that I wish to wage my own against."

"Heh, amen to that, Kakarot," Bardock spoke with a dry chuckle of agreement.

"Amen," Hanassia finished with a nod of her own.

* * *

"I liked Cell better than Frieza," Grand Kai murmured with disdain, as his eyes rested upon the smug grinning form of the Frost Demon's form standing next to his father's.

"The worst kind of villain, that guy is. If anyone enjoyed cruelty as much as Bojack, and was as egotistical as Cell, Frieza would nail them both to a T," King Kai spoke with agreement, still feeling cold sweat at being near the same area as the Arcosian Royal Family.

"Well, at least those two aren't the problems we should worry about," Grand Kai spoke aloud, shades casting a glint of reflection, aiming towards the eldest son of King Cold, "Cooler hasn't batted an eye since coming to the stadium. I've rarely seen such a composed fighter other than Pikkon, but seeing someone of such a proud family and race such as the Frost Demons be this calm...is certainly unnerving."

"He may have been stronger than Goku at one point, Grand Kai, but I'm pretty sure with the way things are, he could take him on easy," King Kai spoke with confidence.

"I'm sure you're right," the Grand Kai smiled cryptically, taking a hand to stroke his beard, "after all, its been a bad habit of theirs to be felled by Super Saiyans. I'm certain that if any of the four I'm thinking of face him, he might as well give up."

"That's right!" King Kai spoke with a positive nod, raising his fist up with affirmation to look down at Goku and his family, "there's no way that...wait, did you say four?"

"You'll see for yourself, King Kai," Grand Kai spoke with a chuckle, pointing towards the digital display above the stadium, "the next fight begins now."

* * *

When the names revolved for the last time, they landed upon two names that a few wouldn't expect...

**ZORN**

**VS**

**HANASSIA**

...a series of mixed cries of joy for another match, and uncertainty passed across the crowd.

"Hey, isn't that the mate of Bardock? The Female Super Saiyan?!"

"Zorn's King Vegeta's right hand man. Can he take her?"

"Is this even a fair fight?!"

As the questions passed from pairs and scores of people across the immense stadium, Hanassia could only smirk with amusement. Slapping her fist against an open palm, she cracked knuckles as she walked towards the divider between the Northern Galaxy fighters, and the grassy field of the arena. She was looking forward to slapping around a few of King Vegeta's goons for awhile.

"Try not to be a jackass like Frieza and just knock him out!" Bardock cupped his hands over his face, shouting towards his wife.

Waving her hand idly behind her, she spoke aloud with a carnal grin, "No promises!"

As soon as she floated out of hearing range, Olibu unfurled his arms and regarded Goku with a downward gaze of curiosity, "How big of a power gap is there between the trained Elites of King Vegeta's territory between you three?"

Bardock sighed, looking up he idly scratched his chin as he thought about it, "If you were to pit every Elite, including the King, have them transform into Ozarus, and them all amass their power to their fullest extent into a single shot against Hanassia? It wouldn't be a competition at all, quite frankly."

"Ah, that big, huh?" Olibu remarked with a wry grin of amusement.

"Gee, I kind of feel bad for the guy who's going to fight mom," Goku cupped his chin, looking worriedly at the Saiyan that flew beside her to the center of the ring, "hope mom takes it easy on him..."

* * *

As the two landed on the center of the ring, only five meters apart, Hanassia glared at the Saiyan standing so haughtily across from her.

Zorn was a tall Saiyan, and by all means, he looked as fit as any other Saiyan Elite warrior. Being six feet tall, he was around one of the tallest known Saiyans of the Elite Class. Visually handsome, he had a light tanned complexion, with a forward waving style of hair, rather than it being totally erect or unfurled like many Saiyans prefer, of raven coloration that matched his onyx eyes. Being King Vegeta's personal confidant, Zorn adorned a velvet blue cape that wrapped around his pauldrons, almost covering his entire torso and waistline, with only his muscular legs beneath him to be shown wearing official military grade boots. Underneath the cape was black armor with white borders, showing only a single combat knife sheathed on his left hip, and little else.

And he was the number one advocate of King Vegeta's cause, both of good deeds and the worse choices, including his attempt of taking on Frieza with only a handful of Elites at his side.

"WITH BOTH FIGHTERS PRESENT, LET THE SEVENTEENTH MATCH BEGIN!" Tostool shouted with charismatic enthusiasm, issuing the start of the match.

"I'm sure you want this as painless as possible, so I'll make sure its over with in an instant," Hanassia said with an off-handed tone, rolling her eyes as she walked towards the Saiyan Elite.

"You upstart outcast filth will be eliminated as such! By dare allying with your maddened husband, you've turn your back on everything his majesty has built in the name of our glory!" Zorn spoke with a snarl, parting his cape with a pair of massive arms as he readied himself for battle, "you are as damning to the Saiyan race's legacy, as the rest of your fam-"

Before Zorn could fully comprehend what occurred, he found Hanassia standing directly in front of him, a hand upraised, and a middle finger bent backwards, welling the appendage with a focal point of power...

**KRAK-BOOM!**...before unleashing it with a single flipping motion, striking the man's chest with a concussive, condensed bullet of force. It indented his chest, shattering six ribs instantaneously, cracking his arms into fragments, ripping his cape to bits, and causing his eyes to white-out from instant unconsciousness. To his credit, he remained standing for a full ten seconds before his body faceplanted onto the ground, just as Hanassia neatly sidestepped his falling frame.

"I'd say the _Bird_ has been **Flipped** officially," Hanassia joked as she smirked at her easily achieved victory, raising a hand towards the sky, announcing herself silently as the victor.

"A-AND JUST LIKE THAT FOLKS, THE FIGHT HAS ENDED AS QUICKLY AS IT BEGAN! HANASSIA MOVES ONTO THE SECOND ROUND AS THE WINNER OF THE SEVENTEENTH MATCH!" Tostool spoke aloud, laughing sheepishly at how quick the battle had ended within an instant.

* * *

"That Hanassia didn't have to be such an ass. She could at least give everyone a good show," Fasha rolled her eyes, as she crossed her arms with a show of contempt for the rival female Saiyan.

"Don't worry, Fasha. You can get a turn to show your stuff as well," Tora spoke with a grin and a thumb's up, causing his female compatriot to smile with acknowledgement.

"Maybe sooner than you think," Bardock spoke over his shoulder, as he pointed up at the display up in the sky.

**FASHA**

**VS**

**DODORIA**

"Dodoria?!" Bardock, gasped aloud with recognition and sudden reveling.

"Wait, you know this guy?" Goku asked with widened eyes of curiosity, to see what caused his father to suddenly grind his teeth together with fury.

"That thug killed us!" Tora spoke bluntly, his own face knit into grimace and shame as his teeth bared at the memory of his untimely demise, barely surviving long enough to see Bardock one last time, "I think this is a form of divine retribution, letting one of the old squad take back our pride as warriors, and avenge us."

"Oh, we'll be avenged and THEN some!" Fasha smiled, as Hanassia entered their midst, walking past her with an eager grin on her face, not even bothering to acknowledge the she-bitch's entry.

"She looks excited," Hanassia commented as Fasha leaped to the center of the ring in a single bound, flipping acrobatically in the air before landing gracefully on all four limbs, "guess this might bring some form of peace to you all, I suppose."

"Any servant of Frieza's must enjoy reveling in belittling the weak, let alone bask in their own animosity," Olibu commented with a slight frown creasing his golden brows, "whatever happens is his own doing, that much is clear."

Bardock couldn't help but lean next to Goku, thumbing towards the golden-locked giant, "I'm liking this friend of yours, Kakarot..."

* * *

**Battle 18**

When Fasha touched down, she had a sadistic grin of anticipation that made the lumbering, rotund, pink-spiked ex soldier of Frieza sweat bullets.

Even as Tostool announced the beginning of the 18th battle, Fasha's mere presence kept Dodoria from charging out right, or attacking his opponent like he wanted to.

"Remember this face, Dodoria?" Fasha thumbed up towards her grinning visage, cocking her head to the side as she enjoyed seeing his form shake slightly at seeing her, reminding him who he was dealing with, "this face is going to break your f***ing hands when I'm done with you!"

"Y-You don't scare me!" Dodoria shook his head, shouting out at Fasha as he squatted forward, spreading his stubby legs as far as he could, "y-y-you don't want to mess with me, Saiyan! Zarbon and I have gotten a helluva lot stronger since we died! The Ginyu Force wouldn't stand a chance in comparison to our real power!"

"Ooooooooh, do tell," Fasha feigned a wide-eyed look of fear, her sarcasm leaking from her mouth as she visibly squirmed in front of him, "is the fat blob actually stronger than lil' ol' me? Whatever should I do?! It'd be a damned shame if I got sat on by you, fatass, that's for certain, haha!"

"SHUT UP!" Dodoria snarled out, his body blazing in a thick scarlet-white aura, "I'M GOING TO SHOW YOU MY NEW FORM! ITS THE FIRST TIME SINCE I NEEDED IT IN ACTUAL COMBAT!"

"Your confidence is so overwhelming," Fasha rolled her eyes, as she crossed her arms, totally unphased by the bonfire of Ki in front of her, as Dodoria's body began to change in shape.

"_**RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRGH!**_" Dodoria snarled, as his body bulged from behind the armor, tearing it apart, as his fat body was replaced by a hideous, towering form. When he finished, he stood at nearly fifty feet tall. His head protruded and became more predatory, as his eyes slinked to either side of his head with pure black orbs that glared at Fasha, his lips curling back to allow large tusk-like teeth emerge on either side of his jaw, while drooling in excessively to pool beneath him. His feet, turning into more like elephant-feet, while his arms stretched to either end with bulging muscles, and his hands turned into a gargantuan pair of muscular mass.

"**HAH-HAH-HAH! What do you think of me now, little monkey?!**" Fasha laughed haughtily in a distorted voice, mingled with constant smacking of saliva coated teeth over his lip-less jaw, "**I crushed thousands of pathetic weaklings and ate their bodies before they were reconstituted! I've found it very satisfying to feel their essence turn into raw energy for me to fatten up, and then transform into this ultimate for-!**"

"Ugh! That breath!" Fasha plugged her nose, waving her hand at him in mid-monologue, "I can believe your diet now, eugh, gross!"

"**H-How dare you interrupt me, and mock my ultimate form!**" Dodoria snarled, as he reared back his enormous fist and swung it full force towards Fasha's face, "**DIE NOW, SAIYAN SCUM!**"

As the giant fist swung forth like a battering ram, Fasha couldn't help but smirk at the giant, grotesque limb heading her direction.

WHAM-CRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK! As the fist made contact with her face, a painful cracking sound filled the arena, even as a concussive wave annihilated all of the tiles around her feet except the ones her boots stood upon. But it wasn't Fasha's body that gave way under the pressure. To Dodoria's horror, his entire fist cracked like an egg, as bones shifted and splintered, and his giant meaty hand turned into a shattered, blood-soaked mess. With a loud howl, Dodoria almost fell forward from the pain wracking his body, even as Fasha snickered at his wounded frame.

"I wasn't kidding about what I said, y'know," Fasha spoke in a mocking tone, as she shrugged her shoulders at the grotesquely shaped Dodoria.

"JUST SHUT UP, DAMMIT!" Dodoria roared aloud as he reared back his other fist, coalescing a large wafting aura of pink energy around his skin, before thrusting it back at Fasha's unmoved form.

A voluminous wake of pink-white energy flooded the arena, sending a geyser of incinerative energy to blast into the far barrier divider of the Eastern Galaxy contenders' waiting area.

What was revealed under the steam was a charred, fractured, and dry-bloodied armed Dodoria, while Fasha looked totally unphased by the attack, not even raising a visible form of defense to protect her from the onslaught that was unleashed by the hideous creature before her.

"**I-I don't understand! Y-You're not supposed to be this strong! I killed you for crying out loud, why can't I do it again?!**" Dodoria shouted out incredulously, as his weak knees buckled under the pain and the outrageous condition he was placed in.

Fasha spat a wad on the ground, as she regarded the heaving and wounded being before her with disgust, "Just because you fattened yourself up, doesn't make you a real warrior. Wonder how much I've had to endure since I died? Or what horrors Hell really has?! Of course you wouldn't, you demented swine!"

And with that said, Fasha leaped upwards, rearing a fist back as she swiftly approached Dodoria. Within the moment her fist swung and made contact with the center of Dodoria's head, the audience would witness the grotesque, protruding body part explode within a gruesome display of brutality. The thunderclap that issued from the decapitating explosion rocked the arena and sent a blistering wind to grace the skin of the audience and contenders alike.

A satisfied smile elapsed over Fasha's bloodied face, as she inhaled and exhaled with resignation. Raising a single hand towards the kneeling, headless body, "Take that, fatass!"

**VLAAAAAAAAAM!** Within a single discharge of crimson energy, Dodoria's transformed body was blasted into atoms, save for the lone golden halo. Even as the explosion uproared and flowed past Fasha's body, she vented her energy to clean herself of the brute's blood on her skin, even as she rocketed away from the arena back to her comrades.

"WOW, THE BRUTALITY AND EXECUTION OF THAT LAST FIGHT WAS JUST UNREAL! FASHA WINS THE EIGHTEENTH MATCH, MOVING HER TO THE SECOND ROUND!" Tostool announced with joy.

* * *

Grand Kai furrowed his brow as he chuckled with bemusement, "A lot of pent-up feelings in those two last fights. Its a good thing to have them be rectified in this round, so they can enjoy themselves later on."

"I'm certainly not a fan of these Death Battles," East Kai admitted with a visible shutter, "they're too messy, and tend to leave a lot of bad feelings in the air."

"No sportsmanship at all in them," South Kai nodded with agreement.

"Well, if you've seen what some of these people have done with your own eyes, I'm pretty sure you would be thinking otherwise," King Kai spoke with a solemn tone, "after all, none of us were objective when Goku killed Bojack. While death may not be pretty, sometimes its a painful lesson that must be taught to those who don't know good from evil, as much as they don't know left from right."

"For once, you say something that makes sense," West Kai commented off-handedly.

"Thanks, I think," King Kai smiled bitterly, glad to see even West got along with him every once in awhile.

But one thing is for certain from the series of battles they've witnessed and many to come, there would be a lot of death to follow.

* * *

**Battle 34 **

**CRASH! **The battle came to a dynamic finish, as another hapless Saiyan from King Vegeta's territory was flung head over heels into the arena, enough to indent it inwards from the force. The knee-length haired Saiyan's eyes spun dizzily, as his blue body armor was cracked from the impacts, and his skin sported a number of large bruises from the many times he was tossed around by the experienced warrior standing over him.

With no sign of coming to consciousness, the fighter above him relinquished his attention and stood attentively for the announcer to call it.

"WHAT A SPECTACULAR FINISH! THOUGH THE SAIYAN, BURUSUTA, PUT UP A VALIANT FIGHT, PIKKON WAS JUST TOO QUICK FOR HIM TO LAND A HIT. WITH ONE FINAL GRAPPLE TO THE GROUND HE'S DOWN AND OUT! PIKKON WINS THE THIRTY FOURTH BATTLE, AND MOVES ON TO THE SECOND ROUND!" Tostool announced with jubilation and glee, excited to see another of Heaven's Champions move forward in the Tournament.

* * *

"These fights are getting really dull," Bardock spoke aloud with a sigh, having watched another Saiyan get beaten before his eyes made his nerves irate, "when the Hell is it going to be MY turn?!"

"You'll get it, don't worry about it," Hanassia spoke nonchalantly, shrugging in emphasis to calm her mate's nerves.

"Easy for you to say. You and Fasha already had your turns, as well as Kakarot! I swear if I'm at the bottom of the list, I'm going to be very pissed!" Bardock growled with frustration.

"I'd hate to be your opponent when it IS your turn," Goku mumbled absentmindedly.

As the digital screen cycled through the names, something began to gnaw away at Goku's senses. While it was subtle after the beginning of his first fight, it began to become more and more apparent. A sickly, cold feeling he had only felt once, when facing a very nightmarish entity that he thought he wouldn't have been able to beat, even with all of his accumulated power. But...what was it?

The answer became clear when the names read off the board above the stadium:

**KING VEGETA**

**VS**

**DEMON KING PICCOLO**

"So, our dear king finally comes out to play? Hope to see that smug look on his face crumble when this Pickle or whoever pummels his face in!" Hanassia spoke with an excited anticipation in her voice.

"Demon King? How come I've never heard of this guy before?" Bardock asked aloud, cupping his chin in thought as he turned to regard his son. What he, Olibu, Hanassia, and his ex-squad witnessed wasn't something they'd expect to see.

Goku's body trembled with fear, as he felt the full weight of the dark pressure that had been slowly leaking out into their midst this whole time. It was as if his entire confidence in himself was being sapped, and dread was taking its place. What's worse, he felt his pores eject sweat onto his skin, giving him a very rattled, dazed look as he saw the name and remembered his death battle he had all those years ago.

"_He's here?! The First Piccolo is really here?! This isn't good...not good at all!_" Goku thought to himself, even as his parents shook him out of his dazed reverie, as a dark cloaked figure passed him by and hopped over the divider of the North Quadrant combatants, "_its him!_"

* * *

**Battle 35**

What joined the figure in passing, parallel by a dozen meters, was King Vegeta, resting on a throne carried by a pair of two poles that four Saiyan servants were holding their leader and the newest combatant to join the fray to the middle of the stadium. As they set the throne down, King Vegeta rose up and walked down the built-in-staircase of the portable throne, and dismissed his servants with a wave of his hand.

"A Demon King, eh? A fitting opponent, if I do say so myself, that another one of some form of royalty shall do combat with the likes of me!" King Vegeta mused aloud, his voice full of confidence and pride.

The being didn't speak at all, allowing King Vegeta a moment to observe his opponent.

The Demon King is seen to be tall, intimidating entity, one of which King Vegeta had never seen before, being easily over 8ft. He wore a black Gi tunic, with long sleeves tucked into a pair of black leather gloves and black boots. A red-bordered, white circle insignia took up the majority of his chest, with black Kanji letters inscribed "Demon King," on its center. A black cloak with a red interior hung from either point of wrapped pauldrons on either shoulder, giving him a commanding presence. A black hood was cast over his head, hiding all visible features, save for glaring red eyes that stared back at the King of all Saiyans.

"Do you know who I am? I am the King of all Saiyans, Vegeta!" King Vegeta threw an arm out demandingly at the towering giant, ignoring the cold chills he had when staring at the red eyes that gazed down upon him, "at least acknowledge me as an equal, before taking pride in that haughty stance of yours!"

A dark, guttural laugh crept into the air, much like the violet-black waves of energy that seeped out from his cloak and into the atmosphere around the royal-blooded Saiyan, causing his throat to choke, as if coming into contact with a toxic fog, that constricted his whole body.

Then, as his laugh came to a halt, his voice spoke with a demonic tone as he began to walk towards the Saiyan, unfurling his arms in mid-stride, "When I'm finished with you, Vegeta, you're going to wish you were dead. Try to imagine being unable to do anything with all that power you possess," grasping the sides of his hood, he unfolded it, showing his Namekian face grinning maliciously towards the slightly cowering Saiyan before him, baring his teeth as he finished, "then you'll know what Hell is REALLY like!"

* * *

A pair of elderly, human martial artists looked on with a dreaded knowing whom the being on the ring was.

On the right handed side, was a old martial artist, whom had trained many strong warriors underneath his wise guidance. He wore a black coat over white linen shirt and slacks, underneath a similarly colored pair of black slacks, with simple tower clogs on either foot. His face had a white mustache over wrinkled, strong facial features, matching his smoothly combed white hair sitting atop of his head.

The other on the left handed side, was one of his former disciples and previously strongest human martial artist of Earth, Grandpa Gohan. Wearing his simple attire that his grandson knew him for, the aged and deceased surrogate grandfather of Son Goku looked on with slight trepidation at the being that radiated such a cold, dark aura that filled the atmosphere of the entire stadium.

"He hasn't changed at all," Mutaito spoke with dread, glaring down at the ominous figure he knew in life and his final moments, "that monster...I never thought I'd live to see the day where I see him in action again."

"Don't worry yourself, old friend," Grandpa Gohan rested a hand on the weary retired martial artist, giving him a thumb's up as he smiled, "my grandson was the one who defeated him, and even managed to find in his heart to spare his son. And he was just a boy during that time. Just believe in Goku, and he'll pull through, just as he always has."

"I suppose you're right," Mutaito sighed, balling his fists as his eyes narrowed at Demon King Piccolo again, "blast it! What I wouldn't give for an electric rice cooker right about now!"

* * *

"LET THE THIRTY FIFTH MATCH BEGIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIN!" Tostool finally shouted, realizing that either one of the fighters would throw out an attack before he gave them the all clear.

King Vegeta was the first to move. Having been snapped out of his fear-induced daze by Tostool's loud voice, King Vegeta ignited his blue-white aura, as he brought up nearly his full power to the surface. Despite the crackling energy that sizzled around his dark cape and armor, the rumbling that shook the arena floor, the Demon King didn't stop his slow and purposeful stride towards his prey.

"TAKE THIS!" King Vegeta shouted aloud, leaping up towards the giant Namekian, swinging his fist forward with coiling energy wrapped around the glove.

The Saiyan King's fist found a target, but not its intended one. Instead, as a billowing shockwave flourished the tall Namekian's form, a single gloved index finger stopped the knuckles cold, dispersing the energy effortlessly. Vegeta could only gape with shock, as his fist twitched and spasmed, but couldn't even push back Piccolo's appendage a fraction of an inch.

"Is that it?" The Demon King asked with a low chuckle, smiling at him with a mocking gleam projected from his dark eyes, "is this all that the _King_ of the Saiyan race has to offer?"

King Vegeta ground his teeth with audible mounting rage, as his aura crackled with even higher intensity, "I'm not through yet!"

When the royal-blooded Saiyan backed up, he retracted his fist from the Namekian's outstretched forefinger, and began swinging his fists with incredible fury and repetition. All the while, he shouted at the top of his lungs, as if he was combatting something far worse than Frieza, that he aimed to defeat, to prove his worth as a warrior and as a leader.

Despite his vigor, what disturbed him, his followers, and the audience, was that the Demon King wasn't moved in the slightest. Even as King Vegeta swung his arms and feet, Piccolo just used his right finger, poking each energy-coated fist and limb of the charging Saiyan's, rebounding every one of his opponent's strikes with no effort at all.

Shockwaves billowed out with violent pops, light flashed with tendrils of incredible effect on the rest of the arena's durable surface, and blistering winds were thrust in every direction. Sadly, the Saiyan had yet to make a dent in the Namekian's thorough and seemingly untouchable defenses.

"I grow tired of this game," Demon King Piccolo announced with a snarl, swinging his left free hand out to backhand mightily across King Vegeta's face. An audible, painful pop erupted in the air, as a crackle of bio-electricity sizzled from the Namekian's gloved limb, thrusting the helpless Saiyan in a pinwheel of motion that tore a fissure on the arena floor, despite never making physical contact with it, "abandon this weak, pitiful form of yours, King Vegeta. Show me your true power now!"

Even as King Vegeta's vision blurred and his ears wrung, he could hear the distinct challenging tone erupt from his opponent. He wanted him to transform! King Vegeta narrowly ejected a pulse of Ki around his body, halting his descent above the grassy field. Raising his body upwards, a smile stretched across his bloodied jaw, laughing haughtily as he raised himself up in the air.

"In a hurry to die, are you?! Well, I just might acquiesce that request then!" King Vegeta yelled out, even as his right hand began to charge energy to create the artificial moon he desired, "be prepared to be crushed, by the true power, of the Saiyan race, worm!"

With a swift toss high up into the air, King Vegeta looked up as the glistening light began to form from the condensed, artificial moon began to form and immediately emit Blutz waves.

* * *

"Ah, going for the Ozaru transformation then?" Bardock inquired as he saw King Vegeta hurtle the artificial planetoid up into the air, awaiting its full creation so it may serve his purposes. Reaching into the folds of his breastplate, he fished out around a number of shades, handing them to his wife and then to his squad behind him, "good thing Hanassia and I acquired these special Anti-Blutz shades to shield our eyes from the light of a full moon. It was nice of that old guy to charge us such a minimal fee."

"You got that right. This is much more convenient," Hanassia nodded with agreement as she donned her own shades, turning to hand a pair to Kakarot, stopping midway as she realized, "wait, you don't have a tail, guess you don't need this then."

"Nah, but I'd like to wear one anyways!" Goku smiled widely, as he was quite interested in acquiring such a cool pair of sunglasses for himself to use.

"Ah well, here you go then. Since Raditz doesn't need them right now, I guess there's no harm in doing so," Hanassia handed him a pair, smirking as he gaped at how cool all the colors looked behind them.

"Well, let's just see how useful King Vegeta's power is at ten times multiplied," Bardock spoke with finality, glad to finally see someone take on the dreaded King he had to serve begrudgingly all these years.

* * *

"_**GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA !**_" King Vegeta roared out, as his body transformed from a small, widow's peak haired Saiyan, into a monstrous Ozaru. The bellows exiting his protruding maw shook the foundation of the stadium, even as his body glistened with a powerful golden aura, crackling with intensity.

Throughout all of this, the Demon King's smile hadn't wavered as he gazed up at his gargantuanly sized opponent.

"**HA-HA-HA! You were a fool to think you could withstand the might my Ozaru Form!**" King Vegeta bellowed with a deep voice, lowering himself back into the arena's airspace, standing tall above the previously larger Namekian, "**I'm going to grind your bones into dust!**"

"Then what are you waiting for, oh _great_ _mighty_ _King_," Piccolo chuckled as he lowered his arms to his sides, before raising them in a challenging manner, "show me what your true power is capable of!"

"**With pleasure!**" King Vegeta snarled out, rearing his head as his neck expanded to ridiculous proportions. Then, with a mighty roar, a giant red-white beam of energy blasted forth with enough gait to engulf the entire arena.

As the beam careened forth, Piccolo made no sign of moving out of the way, or even acknowledging the blast. That is, until the entire blast began to shrink dramatically, flowing forth as if it was water, all being funneled into the outstretched palm of the Demon King's, defusing it as he effectively nullified the blast, only leaving the arena lightly marred by the exhaling energy King Vegeta left behind.

"**W-What?! How is this possible!**" King Vegeta asked incredulously, landing on his ape-like feet on the ring, stepping back with widened eyes of fear and confusion written on his bestial visage, "**that was my maximum powered blast! How could you disperse it so easily?!**"

"You call that your most powerful attack?! HA! Its no wonder a pitiful creature like you got annihilated with the rest of your kind!" The Demon King cackled, as he balled his fist and threw it out to the side in emphasis, "you think increasing your strength AND your body size gives you an advantage?! Let me show you how someone uses size...much...more...effectively!"

Piccolo began to draw up his own power to the surface, as he caused his body to enlarge dramatically. Painful pops of bones expanding and realigning, ligaments coalescing within the muscular framework, and finally, the tissue stretched accordingly as the dark cloaked Namekian grew and grew. When he was finally stabilized, his height was a good head taller than even King Vegeta's Ozaru form, a fact that made the transformed Saiyan King especially afraid.

"Y-You don't scare me, Namekian!" King Vegeta snarled back, as he reared a fist back, and thrusted it towards the much larger Demon King Piccolo, "I am King Vegeta, the most powerful Saiya-NNNNNNGH!"

Within an instant of the fist thrusting forward, Piccolo caught the fist with a free hand, and immediately began crushing the knuckles trapped behind his palm, "Yeah, I heard you the first time. I really don't believe that such a haughty, cowardly fool like you would ever be stronger than the Saiyan I fought. And even then, he was a mere child, and he showed much more courage, resilience, and warrior spirit than you ever have in the last few minutes!"

Pulling the Saiyan King forward, the Namekian King pivoted his body around so his remaining arm would curl its elbow just above the extended limb. With an executive elbow thrust down into the defenseless forearm, a painful crack, followed by a large shockwave that rocked the arena below broke the limb within a single instant, causing King Vegeta to howl with pain.

**SMACK!** The Demon King backhanded the Ozaru-formed Vegeta, breaking a handful of teeth and drawing blood as he did so, "You're nothing but mud to scrape off the rims of my boots, Vegeta!"

"A disgrace of a warrior!" He followed up with a vicious uppercut into his gut, marring his white breastplate, and forcing blood to spew out of his feral maw.

Grasping King Vegeta by his cape, he lifted his falling frame upwards, to allow him to repeatedly slap his face over and over again, sending powerful blistering winds to flourish across the stadium, "Not worth being called a man at all!"

** CRACK-VOOM!** With a final grappling slam, King Vegeta found his face wedged into the arena floor, sending a rippling force that distorted the arena floor, as large fissures of electric tendrils spouted out of the earth and ignited with incredible fury.

As he rose up, he slammed a foot onto King Vegeta's skull, as he raised a hand coated in black flames as he smiled sadistically down at him. Before King Vegeta could protest, Demon King Piccolo swung his hand towards the base of his tail, effectively severing it, and berefting the noble Saiyan of his proud heritage and his most accessible power.

A loud groan of protest was heard, as King Vegeta's body began to regress in physical stature, with Demon King Piccolo doing the same. Raising his hand up into the air as he lifted his boot off King Vegeta's skull, he discharged a small golden orb up towards the artificial moon in the sky, blasting it to ash within an instant of making contact with it, effectively marking his opponent's defeat.

"N-No...this...can't be possible!" King Vegeta found his eyes blood shot with rage. This look matched the protruding veins along his forehead, as his beard was drenched in sweat and blood, nursing his right broken arm as he glared at his opponent, "I can...still beat you...!"

"Really?! HA! Don't make me laugh!" The Demon King chuckled darkly, smiling widely as he pointed at his opponent, "I've cut off your tail, broken your body at your strongest, made you look like the fool you really were in front of all those whose loyalty you cherished so dearly. Face it, you're a tail-less outcast, and you have no right holding the title of _King_ any longer."

"Shut your mouth, Namekian scu-!" King Vegeta began to say, before the murderous red glint in the being's eyes reignited once more. The very eyes that sent chills down his spin and turned his hot blood to ice. The eyes of a true demon!

"Don't test me, Vegeta, or you'll not be walking off this stage in anything else than a casket!" Demon King Piccolo spoke darkly, as his body became enraptured with a dark aura of black smog and violet flames, that seemed to wipe away any color and warmth around his opponent. As if all hope was stolen, to be replaced by utter dread and inevitable demise.

"N-No...I...will...not," King Vegeta barely gasped, holding up his free hand, charging up an orb of violet-white Ki in his palm towards the larger-than-life Demon King, "yield...to...you...!"

"I'll give your tenacity credit, despite it being utterly stupid," Raising his right index finger to his forehead while standing before him, a violet-black series of sparks formed upon his own limb, as he smiled darkly at his prey standing below him, "in honor of your struggles, as pitiful as they were, allow me to demonstrate to you a technique I've developed during my time in Hell. Its power dwarfs that of even the strongest Ki techniques that use mass and power to overwhelm their opponents. You'll be dead soon enough..."

"G-Galick...Gun..." King Vegeta heaved out, as he finished priming his own technique, saw just how bright and dismal the crackling tendrils snaked from Demon King Piccolo's forefinger. As beads of sweat snaked down his vein-throbbing forehead, King Vegeta thrust his palm out towards the giant Namekian, yelling out with desperate vigor, "**FIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIRE!**"

"**Demon Drill Cannon!**" Piccolo shouted out, as his finger pierced the wave of violet energy flowing before him, piercing it within a heartbeat. The coiling violet energy and black beam of energy skewered past the fissure of destructive force and blew through King Vegeta's chest and out of his back within an instant. This caused his eyes to widen with shock and pain, as the beam carved a deep trench through the arena floor and the grass behind him, before slamming into the distant South Quadrant's barrier, forming an enormous explosion of violet-white flames.

"I-I-Imp...oss...i...ble..." King Vegeta gurgled out, as his eyes whited out, and his body keeled forward onto his knees, before faceplanting onto the ground before his enemy's defeat, as his body's life force began to fade.

"Peh, how pathetic! Dying from such a simple attack that I barely put any effort into," The Demon King spat with disdain, unimpressed by his opponent's pitiful power that he displayed before him, "I was looking for a challenge, not a joke! So much for seeing any Saiyan other than Goku giving me a proper fight."

Raising his hand towards King Vegeta's dying body, he began to generate a crackling orb of black-white Ki, intending on cleaning up the mess he made out of his opponent...

Then, a shout caught his attention.

"Don't do it, Piccolo!" The voice of Goku shouted out, standing at the edge of the divider of the North Quadrant contestant area, directly behind the tall Namekian, "He's dead! You've beaten him! Its over, you don't need to desecrate his body!"

Turning his head to look over his shoulder, the Demon King smirked, as his eyes adjusted to the distance appropriately, so he could see who it was who shouted at him. Even though he only caught a glimpse of his actions through the special bubble transmissions within Hell, it was still hard for him to believe that the small brat who killed him had grown up so much.

Still, he remained unconvinced, rival or not, that he had to spare the rotting corpse near his feet.

"Why? I'm just sparing the little halo its extra duty of decomposing his body. Besides, scum like him don't deserve a burial, and should be turned to ash," Piccolo spoke back to Goku with a magnified voice, to help with the problem of distance between the two of them, "give me a good reason why not to? Humor me this, Son Goku, as a reward for defeating me all those years ago!"

"The reason why I ask you to not do this?! Its because I don't want you to stoop to the low levels that these other scumbags have!" Goku shouted back at his longtime enemy and first real nemesis he had to deal with. With an upraised fist, he shouted out passionately, even as his body shook at the sight of his nightmarish vanquished archnemesis, "Frieza, Bojack, and even Cell, none of them have the honor or respect that you commanded all those years ago that I knew of you. I knew and fought your son, Piccolo Jr., and even he held a certain measure of honor and respect with me. And he redeemed himself, despite his dark past and his destiny he committed himself on your behalf. If your own flesh and blood could become a true warrior, I know in your heart that you could be too," then, with finality, Goku said with a challenging smile, "and unlike those I've faced, you're one of the ones I want to fight THE MOST!"

It was at this point that the Demon King actually paused. His eyes widened with surprise, never thinking that Goku would harbor this much respect for him. Did...did he something in his son that changed his view of him? Did his son actually surpass him in mannerism of being a warrior? These thoughts rushed through his mind, as his hand defused the energy he accumulated, and lowered his hand effectively.

"Fine," Piccolo spoke with finality, baring his teeth with frustration despite Goku's breath of relief his enhanced ears heard from the distance between them, "I'll humor you this time, Goku. But don't expect any favors from me when our match comes, you hear?!"

"I wasn't expecting any," Goku spoke back in a whisper as his eyes locked onto the clad dark robed figure, as he flipped his hood back over his head.

With a swift turn on his heels, he headed back to the far corner of the North Quadrant contender's area, even as Tostool made the announcement.

"WHAT AN AMAZING FIGHT, TRULY WORTHY OF SONG AND CELEBRATION! WITH KING VEGETA BEING KO'ED, DEMON KING PICCOLO WINS THE THIRTY FIFTH MATCH, AND MOVES ONTO THE SECOND ROUND!"

* * *

**A/N**: _I bet you thought this was going to go on for awhile, didn't you? Well, you're half right. I still have many more fights to elaborate, as well as mention in this First Round, with there being five hundred fighters battling and all that. _

_Hope you all enjoyed it as much as I've written it! If you have anymore requests, or any fighters you think I should throw in, please leave me a PM ONLY! Make sure to leave your thoughts about the chapter in the Review, and tell me what you thought of it._

_Until then, I'll see you guys on the next_ Other World Saga _chapter! _


	9. Forces and Squadrons Unite!

**THE OTHER WORLD SAGA**

* * *

**Chapter 9 - Forces and Squadrons Unite! **

* * *

**Battle 39**

**CRACK!** "Gah!" Orlen, a yellow bulbous headed creature belonging to the Octulien race, was struck hard in the jaw. Distantly related to the same kin of a known ex-subordinate of Frieza, Appule, Orlen sported two sharp fangs over his lip-less jaw which now was purple and bruised from a new strike landed on his person. Despite fighting his hardest, he found that most of his armor sported cracks and dents, even finding his left arm broken, hanging limply at his side.

Staring at him in the face was a Saiyan warrior, hailing from King Vegeta's territory, but seemed to have a different air in comparison to the rest of the haughty, ruthless elites. His hair was rough and jagged, but was bound by a red band, fastening it into a makeshift ponytail. Wearing rounded pauldrons on either shoulder, with black Arcosian skulls enamored on them, as well as on his silver breastplate, the Saiyan warrior's eyes fixated nothing but disdainment and loathing towards the creature heaving before him.

It was effortless, how he took apart a ruthless and conniving soldier formerly of Frieza's army apart, and it boasted of the skill he retained, despite being resident among the defeated Saiyan King's own territory. Which made it all the more humiliating for the Octulien, having been subjected to such debased laughter coming from the sidelines, as well as not once landing a single hit on the Saiyan that stood before him.

Within five minutes into the fight, Orlen could stand it no more.

"You Saiyan garbage!" Orlen snarled out with anger, rushing towards the Saiyan with anger and pure contempt towards him, "I'll kill you!"

The Saiyan however didn't seem to move a muscle in acknowledgement. When Orlen swung a punch towards the Saiyan, he seemingly disappeared out of thin air, causing him to halt with a look of shock.

"Wh-Where did he g-OOOOOOOOOOW!" Orlen asked rhetorically and incredulously, as he found his jaw kicked upwards from the chin, as the Saiyan reappeared underneath his guard, thrusting his boot up with enough force to cause a thunderous pop of broken air pressure.

When he soared up into the air, the Saiyan got on all fours before catapulting himself up, discharging a aura of blue-white energy around himself as he shimmered directly underneath the horizontally soaring and airborne Octulien. Before he could figure out what was happening, the Saiyan's tail wrapped around his midsection tightly, followed up with two large muscular arms clasping against each other, locking tightly onto his newfound captive.

Within a matter of seconds, Orlen's senses came back, allowing his red eyes to widen with sudden fear, as he shouted with alarm, "No-No-No-No-No, NOOOOOO!"

Spinning with enough force to cause a twister, the Saiyan dropped the Oculien directly on top of the arena platform, issuing a vibrant flash of light and a blistering-wind felt shockwave to thrust out in all directions. Orlen's skull split in multiple areas, causing an instantaneous shattering of his neck and spine, even as the Saiyan submerged his target fully into the flooring.

Extracting himself from the dented arena platform, the Saiyan looked in Frieza's direction, before spitting on the Orlen's corpse.

Frieza could only chuckle in amusement, "Joke's on that Saiyan whelp, I killed that worthless minion myself ages ago!"

"No wonder most of your subordinates left you," Cold responded with a dry tone of disdain for his diminutively shorter son.

Tostool jumped onto the stage before the Saiyan could leave, raising his fist up into the air with an ecstatic tone, "WOW, WHAT AN UNBELIEVABLE MATCH! ORLEN STOOD NO CHANCE AGAINST THE FEARSOME SAIYAN WARRIOR, SUGOI! WITH A BRUTAL FATALITY KO'ING ORLEN, SUGOI MOVES ON TO THE SECOND ROUND!"

* * *

Bardock couldn't help but smile, glad to see one of Frieza's obvious ex-cronies bite the dust at the hands of a Saiyan. While he hailed assuredly from King Vegeta's territory, it didn't seem like he held any arrogance and needlessly malicious behavior most of the Elites hailed from. With that said, he didn't know how much longer King Vegeta would have such undying support after this Tournament was over and done with.

Tapping his boots, he couldn't help but feel anxious to get to his own fight, having seen a fair number of warriors have their share of carnage and fun. The restlessness didn't go unnoticed by his family, however.

"Relax, Bardock. You'll get your chance to slug someone good, just wait and see," Hanassia spoke in a chiding manner, a small grin spread across her face, indicating her humor to his fidgeting.

"Easy for you to say, Miss _I Annihilated King Vegeta's Right Hand Man_," Bardock commented dryly, raising his hands up to promote quotes in emphasis of the latter part of his statement.

"It was too short to be that enjoyable. Only knowing that it pissed off the so-called King was the only gratification in doing that battle at all," Hanassia rolled her eyes, crossing her arms over her chest in emphasis, "speaking of which, that last match between that Piccolo guy and Vegeta was awesome to watch."

"I would've liked to fight the Piccolo guy! I could've taken him!" Bardock protested.

"I'm not sure you could," Goku spoke with a foreboding tone, his brows knit and his face drawn into a serious demeanor, "I'm not sure if I could beat him. We've only saw a fraction of his real power. Beating a guy like that was effortless. Its incredible how much stronger he's become in all of these years of him being dead. Who knows what he's capable of?"

"I could've told you that," Hanassia spoke jocularly, lightly shoving Bardock and his son simultaneously, "but if he's been beaten once, he can be beaten again, isn't that right?"

"Hell yeah!" Bardock nodded with agreement, grinning aggressively at the prospect of fighting the one who beat King Vegeta.

Goku couldn't help but smile with reassurance. Despite the cold, unfamiliar feeling of fear that washed over his body, he still managed to work up the nerve to talk his old archenemy into sparing the body of his deceased enemy. If he could inspire that kind of respect with the Namekian, perhaps he could enjoy their fight a lot more than he presumed he would.

A defining beep caught their attention, causing all eyes to look up to the announcer board in the sky as the fighters had finally been chosen...

**SALZA**

**VS**

**JEICE, THE RED MAGMA**

"Frieza and Cooler's top men. Well what do ya know?" Goku with a wry smile of remembrance.

"Wait, you know those two meatbags?" Bardock asked with a upraised brow of curiosity.

"Well, I didn't fight them personally. In fact, I think it was Piccolo...er...Piccolo Jr. who killed them," Goku spoke with a nod of clarity.

"Why didn't YOU killed them?" Hanassia gawked with incredulity.

"They were kind of weak at the time. I didn't really pay them any notice. They're bosses on the other hand required a lot more immediate concern," Goku said definitively.

Hanassia could only gaze at the two floating men, as they flew from a portion of the North Quadrant contenders' area.

The one named Jeice, someone the mother of Goku and Raditz very familiar with during her time harassing Frieza and his minions on a day to day basis, had his armor exactly as it was when he died. Two horizontally aligned, light brown pauldrons were joined to a seamless white breastplate, with similar colored abdominal plating. Black linen protective fabric stretched over muscular arms, ending with a pair of white gloves, matching the white boots with brown outlines.

Salza, the other fighter, in life was known as the distant "better" cousin of Jeice, having been born with a much higher intelligence and incredible power than most of his kin. Differences start to show physically, due to his blue skin and sandy blonde hair that curls to the left side of his browline. In contrast of Jeice's attire, Salza's uniform is that of a full-bodysuit, adding additional protection underneath the pectoral breastplate armor that extends on his left shoulder a single brown pauldron, with white outlining that matches the stereotypical white gloves and boots of his Squadron.

The female Saiyan could only wonder just how much stronger the two have become, both during their time in Hell and the past year both of their infamous units previously loyal to Frieza and Cooler were. She could only wonder, as the sound of Tostool's voice broke the intense silence of the stadium, as both fighters touched down on either side of the arean, a good six meters away from each other.

"WITH BOTH FIGHTERS PRESENT ON THE ARENA, LET THE FORTIETH MATCH BEGIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIN!"

* * *

"You'z don't z'tand a chance against moi. You know this, no?" Salza spoke out first, taunting his red skinned cousin and current rival, emphasizing with a haughty extension of both hands towards him while smiling, "I've alway'z been better z'an you! I know you're shivering underneath that armor of your'z! You're nothing but a frog, waiting to get his legs cooked!"

"Shut up, you bloody wanker!" Jeice shouted out with an angry tone, raising his gloved hand towards his french-accented opponent, "I'm going to set the record straight that the Ginyu Force's leader, the Red Magma, is going to defeat the leader of Cooler's Bloody Armored Squadron!" Jeice thrust out his hand in declaration, charging up a beam in his gloved hand.

"Oh plea'z, do try!" Salza narrowed his eyes dangerously, as he extended his own left hand towards Jeice, charging up a golden orb of his own energy to counter his enemy's tactic, "I love it when a man such a'z your'z'elf think'z that he can win'z when he has no chance in Hell!"

With a mighty shout, Jeice fired his crimson beam of energy towards Salza, just as the other man did in return. When the two moderately sized beams struck at the center, a vibrant explosion of orange light and flames billowed out, creating a vivid shockwave that rippled the durable, yet battle scarred arena.

Within mere seconds, the two fighters were at each other within the epicenter of the smoldering tower of smoke, dissipating it with each exchanged punch and kick, as they dizzyingly shimmered in and out of view, as their speed accelerated their bodies faster than what most of the audience could register. Their movements were fluid, their hits well timed and placed, and their bodies showed nothing but grace and dexterity befitting of their fighting styles and past experience.

In the end, both fighters managed to charge back towards each other, grasping each other hands, neither budging from their position high in the air. As their respective auras of red and violet crackled, their palms bristled an orange ball of bio-electricity, spraying forth wildly and cracking the air all around their flamboyantly colored bodies.

"You're z'o weak!" Salza chuckled darkly, causing Jeice's eyes to widen with confusion. Within that moment of disorientation from a choice of words, Salza pulled him forward, slamming his right knee into his gut, before turning around and throwing him towards the ground. As Jeice spiraled down to the arena floor, Salza poised his right hand, forming five pencil thin orbs of energy. With a palm thrust, he let loose the five scattered finger beams, aiming to penetrate the white-maned cousin of his, "die!"

**VOOM!** At a split second decision, Jeice generated a aura of crimson energy around him, halting his awkward descent and flying swiftly away from the five piercing golden beams sent by Salza.

As he gained momentum, he flew up high into the space-lit sky, leaving Salza down within the airspace of the stadium. When he stopped up in the air, he formed a half-man-sized red orb in his right hand, lifting up into the air with declaration, "Let's see how you handle this, mate!"

"**Crusher Ball!**" With a shout, he threw the fast-speeding orb of death towards Salza, leaving a trail of blood-colored light as it roared out like a rocket towards its destination.

"Please," Salza chuckled with amusement, raising his right hand up to be enveloped by an aura of intense violet-white light, becoming a blade of Ki, "your fast pitched technique is no match for my **Salza Blade!**"

With a swift arcing motion, Salza cut the ball in half, sending the two fragmented portions of energy spinning out of control and crashing into the distance. The resulting explosions set part of the ring on fire, knocking part of the surface off with the initial impact, leaving behind plumes of smoke to smolder upwards.

"I'm not done yet!" Jeice shouted aloud, his body becoming alight with a crimson aura that briefly caused his white hair to flourish upwards. Raising his hands up towards Salza's direction, he shouted aloud with even greater declaration, "**Continuous Crusher Balls!**"

Within a matter of seconds, Jeice's hands discharged dozens upon dozens of Crusher Balls, making it almost appear like a meteor shower rushing towards Salza's person. They soared through the air with just as much intensity as the first one, and moved with just as much velocity, intending on pummeling the blue-skinned alien's body before exploding brilliantly.

Salza's eyes widened at the sight, but grit his teeth with prepared grit all the same. Launching himself forward, he yelled out ferociously, as he swung his blade in magnificent arcs, cutting five balls here, and six balls there, cutting through them with dexterous swathes. It was a truly an awe-inspiring display of his aerial grace and dexterous superiority as a brilliant fighter.

The strangest thing, however, was that he didn't hear any explosions emanating behind him, after he had cut through the storm of hailing comet-like projectiles. As he reached out with his senses, his browline began to project beads of sweat, as his eyes turned around and saw nearly all of the cut Crusher Balls were perfectly intact, despite being cut to smaller pieces.

"What ze Hell ez zat?!" He asked aloud incredulously, never having seen such precise energy control before, especially from the likes of the Ginyu Force squad member like Jeice.

"You're not the only one who's improved his bloody game, ya Gamikai wanker!" The Aussie-speaking leader of the Ginyu Force spoke with a dark chuckle.

With that said, Jeice's eyes glowed a malicious red, in sync with the bleeding aura that gathered around his body, smiling with just as much killing intent. Raising his hands up swiftly, all the fractions of his Continuous Crusher Balls began to spin and move below, around, and above Salza's body. Soon Salza became completely surrounded by the spherically aligned prison of Crusher Balls, giving him no room to maneuver or escape.

"TAKE THIS!" Jeice shouted, as he clapped forth, issuing the mnemonic command to his projected swarm of energy, "**Crusher Net Bomb!**"

Within an instant, all of the smaller, hundreds of projectiles all sped towards Salza's body. The blue-skinned leader of Cooler's Armored Squadron only had time to speak two words, "ZE FU-AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH! "

**BOOM-BOOM-BOOM-BOOM!** Within the skyline of the stadium, a series of violent, repetitive explosions detonated magnanimously. The visual numbing array of vibrant explosions began spreading a blistering flurry of shockwaves to flow eye-tearing winds across the observing seats, for both contenders and audience members alike.

Within a few seconds, a blackened body fell to the charred surface of the arena floor, unmoving and limp. His skin was charred as much as his full-bodysuit and armor, even his hair had been vaporized within the explosions. Salza, leader of Cooler's Armored Squadron, was defeated.

Landing on the arena, Jeice raised his right hand and flipped off the dead opponent, laughing boisterously as he did so, "Take that you damned frenchie wanker, hahahahahahahaha!"

"WHAT A SPECTACULAR FIREWORKS DISPLAY! A GREAT WAY TO END A GOOD FIGHT! JEICE, THE RED MAGMA, HAS DEFEATED SALZA, ALLOWING HIM TO PASS ONTO THE SECOND ROUND!" Tostool shouted in succession, allowing Jeice to return to his seat and the body be promptly moved back to his proper placement.

* * *

"Hey, Jeice! That was awesssssome, man!" Burter greeted his partner and team leader with a bro fist, being met by the widely smiling red-skinned aussie-accented fighter.

"I know right?! I finally taught that blooming genius a thing or two, right?!" Jeice spoke enthusiastically, pumping his fist upwards.

"Recoome wants to know when his fight is going to be! That fight got Recoome's blood a-boiling!" Recoome spoke with a crazed smile, as his massive arms crossed over his chest.

"Patience, Recoome, ya'll get your turn in good time," Jeice chided his larger companion with a wave of his hand.

"I just hope my opponent who isn't so freakishly strong," Guldo spoke with a quivering tone, "I really don't want to be decapitated again!"

"Guldo, you'll do fine. You've gotten a lot stronger since your fight with that blast King Kai's students!" Jeice reassured his shorter green, four-eyed compatriot.

"Y-You think so?" Guldo asked with hope in his eyes.

Jeice waved his hand nonchalantly, "Just do what you do best, Guldo, and you'll make even the strongest fighters kneel before you. After all, this is a one-on-one battle. Just stop them before they can stop you, get me?"

"Yes! I can do that!" Guldo spoke with enthusiasm, determined to win on behalf of his team, in Captain Ginyu's honor, and for his new Captain Jeice.

"Good. After all," Jeice struck his dynamic pose, along with the rest of the Ginyu Force, shouting declaratively, "we are Captain Ginyu's Ginyu Force!"

* * *

"Quite a flamboyant bunch, aren't they?" Grand Kai queried with a humored tone, after observing the antics of the not-too-distant Ginyu Force.

"Eh, they're a bunch of pansies if you ask me," King Kai waved his arm nonchalantly, as he grabbed a handful of popcorn and stuffed it into his mouth, "still, I'm impressed that red-skinned fellah, Jeice, managed to do a technique similar to Piccolo's. Very clever using a technique he failed using against Tien in the past and then improving upon it."

"I can see why the King of the Frost Demons wanted them as his personal guards, let alone lend them to his more powerful son," Grand Kai nodded with understanding, "I wonder how the rest of their battles are going to pan out?"

"It'll be a mystery until the battles happen," South Kai spoke with concurrence, sipping on some herbal tea.

"Indeed," East Kai spoke while fanning herself, taking a look at her seat, realizing someone was missing, "where's West?"

"Oh, I sent him on a little _errand_," Grand Kai spoke with a chuckle, causing all of the other Kais to sweatdrop at the mentioning of "errand".

Then an ominous noise was heard. Up in the middle of the artificial space above the massive stadium, lights began to spark up into existence, as the artificially constructed planets were suddenly coming back into being from total annihilation. In the distance, they all could see West Kai, operating what could be described as a Zamboni, leaving a trail of sparkly lights on the horizon.

While most of the crowd was left with a sense of awe that all of the visible damage done to the distant planets, moons, and the like was repaired, they were all laughing. Seeing a rotund man riding a zamboni in the middle of the air was just too much for the majority of the stadium to handle.

Even the Kais began to bust a gut, even Grand Kai began snickering at the sight of it.

"I can't nyahahahaha, believe it, nyahahaha! West! You look so funny! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" King Kai jeered, as he cried from the sheer exertion of trying to contain his abundantly plentiful laughter.

"I'll get you for this, King Kai! I swear it!" West waved his stubby arm, even as he "mowed" the arena clean, and even some parts of the unkempt lawn, muttering and grumbling to himself as he did so.

"Well, don't laugh too much guys," Grand Kai chuckled, pointing over at either side of his seat, "you'll all get your turn throughout this Tournament."

"Eh?" King Kai paused in mid-chortle, sweating up a storm with realization, "ah...crap baskets..."

* * *

**Battle 45**

**DORE**

**VS**

**MARAIKOH**

As the battles progressed, many of the audience began to wonder when the rest of the infamous Ginyu Force or Cooler's Armored Squadron would reenter the fray of the battlefield. That all changed when Dore's name came upon the screen, alongside the legendary strong-arm fighter of the Western Galaxy. If anyone knew what brute force was, it was these two fighters, this much was for certain.

Maraikoh, being that of a reptilian race resembling Earth's dinosaurs, had powerful muscles and only a single pair of wrestling shorts to wear, strapped around his waist being a turquoise belt. He had a beige colored underbelly that stretched from his chest, calves, thighs, biceps, neck, and lower jaw, while the rest was in a dark violet coloration. He had a pair of two horns on his head, and a spike-studded tail that reached almost six feet in length behind him. With leather brown boots wrapped around his three-pronged toes, Maraikoh certainly appeared the brawling type.

As for Dore, his body certainly appeared befitting as a reasonable competitor to Maraikoh. Standing over six feet tall, the man had dark green skin with a mane of long black hair, matching the style most standard low-class Saiyan warriors attribute to possessing, with a large jaw-like visage to boot. Sadly, his attire was seen to be just as flamboyant as his compatriots of the Armored Squadron. Unlike the other two squad members, Dore was outfitted with a helmet, giving him a more soldier-like look, having it wrap around most of his skull, with it wrapped under his chin, with a studded brown leather piece of additional armor over the middle of the helm itself. Wearing an emerald breastplate with white borders and a black abdominal crest, signifying his position as a Armored Squadsman, jointed with his left-turned brown studded pauldron. Other than that, most of his skin was bare of additional protection that his superior and comrade, Salza, possessed, with only a purple speedo wrapped over his groin, and a pair of white boots and gloves to finish his appearance.

When Tostool gave the signal to begin, no words were exchanged between the two strong and muscular warriors. Just the exchange of fists and feet was all they needed to acquaint themselves with!

**VOOM! VOOM! VOOM!** Unlike the other fighters seen in the beginning, these warriors tended to stick close to the ground, only leaping into the air to use gravity as momentum for overhead strikes. The clashes of muscle and skin was seen, producing powerful shockwaves with every connection. Despite being large for their sizes, they also moved with fairly swift speeds across the floor of the kilometer wide arena.

"RAAAAAAAH!" Maraikoh roared, unleashing a voluminous wave of Kiai, pushing Dore a good dozen meters backwards. The action alone hurt his ears, but the intensity of the vibrated, pressurized wind blistered his skin, forcing him to throw up his arms to protect himself.

The moment the roaring stopped, Dore countered with a right thrust of his fist, sending a condensed Kiai of his own to strike Maraikoh in the relaxed gut.

"Gaugh!" This forced the lumbering draconic being to stumble a few steps, allowing Dore the initiative to rush forward and delivered a vicious right hook, creating a powerful crack of air pressure, with the beast fighter's jaw at its epicenter. As the flesh rippled, Dore complimented his strike by throwing a number of fast jabs to the dino-man's torso, aiming to inflict as much damage as he could.

He pushed too far, as the moment Maraikoh recovered his wind from the Kiai gut-punch, he swung his powerful arms to clasp Dore's head, grappling it effectively.

With a grunt, he pulled it down onto one solid knee, denting the white plasteel in one impact, forming a localized shockwave from the force delivered to the man's skull. An uppercut caused Dore to go upwards, then airborne backwards, as he felt Maraikoh's large tail swing around and hit him fully into his unprotected abdomen, causing him to roll head over heels across the immense arena.

Running like a rampaging bull, Maraikoh leaped a good ten meters into the air to gain proximity to his winded and fallen foe. Before he could let gravity fully control his fall, he began accelerating his descent with an aura of emerald energy. As Dore's eyes opened, he would feel a single elbow slam into his gut, denting the arena floor for a good half a dozen meters, sending fissures of steam and debris flying upwards.

As Dore let out a howl, an enraged look came over Dore's eyes as he glared at the prone draconic fighter, wedging his arm into his insides. Though he knew, if he had landed on his face, he'd be helpless to retaliate. Luckily, by lying on his back, it gave the opportunity for him to grapple Maraikoh's arm.

"Dore..." Dore spoke with a bloody grin, as he shoved his right fist directly into the dino-man's maw, punching the back of his throat, "SMASH!"

What happened was grotesque.

The force was great enough to cause Maraikoh's eyes to nearly squeeze out, with geysers of blood to spew out his ears, nostrils, and around Dore's arm, as he effectively silenced the durable and monstrously dispositioned fighter. As the behemoth sized fighter fell limp in Dore's grip, he tossed him aside, getting up while holding his gut. Then, after a few seconds of aghast silence past from the act of murder, Dore slammed his foot on the dead fighter and raised his hands up into the air, letting out a guttural war cry, signaling his thorough victory over his opponent.

Despite the brief shock, the entirety of the audience broke out into a deafening roar, glad to see such a stunning and breathtaking finish to an incredible fight between two massive titans.

"EH...WELL...THERE YOU HAVE IT FOLKS! ANOTHER...BRUTAL...FINISH...OH...OH GAMIKAI...UGH! DORE ADVANCES TO THE SECOND ROUND DUE TO MARAIKOH'S DEATH! I-I NEED A BUCKET...!" Tostool announced, as he swiftly ran towards the nearest Contender area, with one of them providing a round empty tub for him to hurl.

"_I don't know how much more of this bloodshed I can take!_" Tostool thought with anxiety and fear, his face already beading bullets of sweat from what he had just witnessed.

* * *

**Battle 49**

**NEIZ**

**VS **

**"HARBINGER"**

After the brutal finish delivered by the Armored Squadron's Dore, the audience was more than eager to see more of these elite fighters do battle. Despite the loss received to the Western Quadrant Champion, Maraikoh, many of the contenders were very curious how far these warriors would go in the Tournament, with all things considering their first debuts as arena combatants.

It only took three more battles to get their wish, as they saw the appraised name of another Armored Squad member, going by the name of Neiz. However what was baffling was the assigned moniker given to the fighter. Seeing as many of the warriors had their titles aforementioned their own names, the fact that a name had been concealed, gave rise to murmurs of curiosity and suspicion.

Despite this, the fighters came forward regardless.

Neiz, the oddest appearing of the Armored Squadron, touched down near the center of the arena. His body was a light brown in coloration, with a smooth visage that gave rise to speculation that he was more amphibian than reptilian in nature. His muscular disposition left him appearing more lanky, lithe, and taller than his other compatriots, even exceeding Dore's height by a few inches. His attire bore the same emerald coloration with white outlining, with a black abdominal insignia plate. The rest of his uniform consisted of the same protective violet linen stretching down past his waistline down to his upper thighs. Identically, his attire also donned a left shoulder pauldron and a pair of white boots and gloves.

Harbinger, on the other hand, had no distinguishable traits of its origins or its gender, let alone its race. It wore elaborate black armor, with white outlines between the creases of each armor piece. The helm itself was designed in a medieval rounded top, with a menacing jaw-plate that eerily resembled teeth, and the single slit, with a dark hallowed interior, incapable of revealing the wearer's eyes but allow total view of what was in front of it. A single white design was emblazoned on the large breastplate, showing that of a barren white tree, that spread its roots all across as the creases throughout the blackened armor. With rounded pauldrons, spike-studded gauntlets, and large boots, the fighter was as intimidating as it was mysterious.

As Harbinger began lowering to the ground, the arena tiles beneath its boots' soles distended noticeably, showing signs of the immense weight the armor withheld.

This caused Neiz's initial discomfort of fighting the so-called "Harbinger" to be dissipated, seeing that the opponent he was facing was possibly too weighed down by the protective suit encasing it. He'd take full advantage of that fact. The only thing he was really hesitant of doing recklessly was seeing a large, dual-crescent-bladed, obsidian handled axe on its back.

"ALRIGHT, WITH BOTH FIGHTERS ON THE RING, LET THE FORTY NINTH BATTLE BEGIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIN!" Tostool let out a dramatic shout, signaling the beginning of the battle.

Neiz made the first move, rushing forth what would seem like a blink of an eye, swinging his right foot around to kick in Harbinger's head. His foot found a connection, but surprisingly saw an upraised forearm to absorb the impact of the kick, sending a jab of pain up the Armored Squadsman's leg. Retracting his leg, he whizzed away before his opponent with a burst of speed, appearing directly overhead, swinging both hands down towards the armored helm, once again meeting an upraised forearm, easily absorbing the impact and deflecting it from its person.

"Grrrrrr!" Neiz snarled, front flipping to land acrobatically in front of Harbinger a good five meters, shouting out with a wave of his hands, "think you're so tough with that armor, huh?!"

Harbinger didn't make a sound. It simply stared and breathed hollow breaths that echoed throughout its metallic shell. The mere sight of the impassive, armored warrior whom was about as tall as Dore and muscularly built, going from the thickness of the armor alone.

"Not gonna talk, huh?!" Neiz growled, rearing his hands back, his palms began to become alight with mustard yellow energy, backpedaling to distance himself from the destruction he was about to unleash, "TAKE THIS!"

Within an instant, Neiz unleashed a continuous barrage of yellow beams towards Harbinger, causing enormous explosions to rip apart the surface of the durable and recently repaired arena floor. The flames roared upwards along with billowing towers of smoke, as detrimental shockwaves crashed against the immense surface of the stadium and grassy fields surrounding it, as Neiz tried to annihilate his opponent.

What emerged from the roiling flames seemed to confound Neiz. Everything within a thirty meter radius had been reduced to a large indented crater, with steam flowing up from the intense explosive strikes. But Harbinger stood on the same indented piece of arena floor without budging, with even a tall amount of arena earth and material still standing, just because Harbinger didn't move a muscle.

Rising slowly into the air, Harbinger's feet allowed the ground to collapse within a violet flash of energy, as the armored entity suddenly sped up beyond Neiz's comprehension.

**KRAK-KOOM!** "Auuuugh!" Neiz felt himself buckle over as Harbinger's fist punched into his gut, shattering the abdominal plating of his breastplate, even tearing the protective fabric off from the concussive force that rippled painfully across his skin, shaking the stadium's airspace.

A follow-up backhanded slap brings forth a number of teeth from Neiz's mouth, as well as a spray of blood as his body spins around in the air, stopped only by Neiz's ankle being caught. With a sudden dropping motion, Harbinger swung its captive onto the arena, shattering more of the pathetic amphibious fighter's armor and uniform from the impact alone.

As Harbinger relinquished its grip of Neiz, the Armored Squadsman snarled up at his opponent, causing his body to crackle with violet electricity, "I'LL MAKE YOU PAY DEARLY FOR THAT!"

Throwing up his hands, he unleashed a wide web of violet-white electricity. It seemed successful, as it began electrifying the metal entity's armored shell and lighting up brightly with incredible spasms and contortions, "HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! You seemed so sure of yourself that armor would protect you from everything. But now its become your ultimate form of demise!"

Harbinger, however, didn't seemed to be writhing in pain as Neiz thought it would. In fact, it didn't seemed to be phased at all, as it reached for the obsidian handle of its battle axe upon its back. When it raised it into the air, all of the tendrils of violet lightning was attracted and pulled into the crescent shaped blades of the axe itself, harnessing its force and power into the weapon.

Neiz shivered with fear as his mouth went agape, now seeing glaring red eyes behind the shadow filled slit of the blackened helm of Harbinger.

With a single slashing motion of the axe, Neiz was split in half cleanly from the head to the pelvic bone, directly before the culminated electrical force incinerated him into oblivion, causing an immense explosion to rise from the point of the being's weapon.

As the steam began to recede, Harbinger placed the axe back onto its back, and awaited Tostool to regain his composure, to announce the fight's outcome.

"WOW, JUST UNBELIEVABLE! NEIZ DIDN'T STAND A CHANCE TO HARBINGER'S EXPERIENCE, DURABILITY, AND OVERWHELMING POWER! HARBINGER ADVANCES TO THE SECOND ROUND!"

* * *

**Battle 50**

**BURTER, THE BLUE HURRICANE**

**VS**

**TAPKAR**

The show of execution to the member of the diabolical Armored Squadron caused a huge uproar of excitement throughout the crowd. When the direct next fight was staging Burter of the Ginyu Force, they were already pumped to see another notorious fighter go against a well known speedy martial artist, Tapkar. It didn't take long for them to arrive at the center of the arena, much to the viewers' pleasure.

Standing but a few meters away from each other, the two combatants stared each other down.

Burter stood to be nearly seven feet tall, with broad shoulders and a large muscular disposition. Covered in blue scales, bearing red eyes, and a brown leather scalp that runs from the back of his head over his crown, Burter resembles something akin to a reptilian humanoid, or what Humans may see as a snake man. He wore similar armor to the rest of the Ginyu Force, with black torso armor with a Ginyu insignia on the left pectoral plate, and a pair of brown pauldrons on each shoulder. For additional protection, Burter was also outfitted with a pair of black forearm protectors, black linen protective cloth over his legs and waistline, and a pair of white boots.

All in all, Burter looked far more intimidating than his opponent.

Tapkar was hilariously short, bordering upon the size of a midget, being almost two feet tall. While his small, pink skinned body had some muscular disposition, it was lost with how ridiculous his attire was. With a red wrestler sash for a belt over a pair of white linen shorts, with a pair of pointed red shoes. The most outrageous addition to his combat uniform was a black colored cat-ear helm he wore over his head, with a single red ruby at its forehead center. To his credit, he looked unafraid of the larger and more violent prone fighter standing a few meters away.

"WITH BOTH CONTESTANTS ON THE RING, LET THE FIFTIETH MATCH BEGIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIN!" Tostool announced with a mighty shout, as he pointed upwards in a dramatic fashion.

Tapkar immediately began to skid his feet across the arena ground, vibrating them faster and faster, until they disappeared from the blur that was created. A look of determination crossed the fighter's eyes, as he locked them upon his much larger adversary.

"What the heck isssss that sssssuposed to be? A Warm-up exercise?" Burter asked with incredulity, smirking as he began walking towards Tapkar.

"This is my way of speeding up!" Tapkar smirked back at the taller speedster, raising his diminutively smaller fists up towards his opponent, "why don't you see just how fast I really am?!"

"Oh pleasssssse, do make the firssssst move," Burter chuckled, stopping a good two meters away from his enemy, crossing his arms over his chest confidently, "if I make the firsssst move, it'll be over too sssssssoon."

"We'll see about that!" Tapkar shouted back defiantly, as he zoomed forward and veered to the left, circling his enemy with visibly disorienting speeds. As he continued to race around Burter, he began to shout aloud, "MACH ONE!"

WHOOSH! Tapkar's feet suddenly left a huge dust trail, whizzing around Burter at even faster speeds than before.

"MACH TWO!" Tapkar chanted out, his body now coated within a swirling vortex of pressurized wind, creating a whirling gale around the center of the arena, with Burter at its epicenter.

"MACH THREE!" Tapkar shouted with finality, his body now thoroughly coated with transparent crackling tendrils of bio-electricity, now moving at nearly his full speed.

Then, he reached his full force speed, shouting out, "MACH FOUR!" creating a deafening boom, as his body screeched to a halt.

As Tapkar skidded to a stop, he left a trench around Burter, stopping directly in front of him. With his body almost visibly contorting with electrical spasms, as well as being vibrated at a near disorienting speed, Tapkar called out to him confidently, "Is this fast enough for you?!"

"Isssss that your top ssssspeed?" Burter asked with an upraised brow.

"Sure is! What're you going to do no-"

It was within that space of time, that Burter actually moved, dissipating directly in front of Tapkar, reappearing directly in front of him before he could even finish his sentence, let alone the word he was speaking.

"-w?!" Tapkar spoke too late, his eyes widening at the larger opponent with mouth held agape. Within an instant, he just realized how terribly outclassed he was against his enemy.

This, however, didn't deter Burter from having some fun.

**KRAK-KOOM!** "No one in the Universssssse is fassssster than I, the Blue Hurricane!" Burter proclaimed, as he kicked Tapkar with such speed that it caused a blue crack of lightning to emanate from the end of his boot, sending a powerful shockwave to shave across the surface of the arena.

As Tapkar's body sailed up into the air, Burter shimmered in mid-air, holding a wicked smile as he shouted aloud before striking, "Space Mach Attack!"

The attacks almost appeared instantaneous. Burter's limbs didn't even appear visible, as a cacophony of blue flashes of lightning rolled from his attacks on the midget fighter, rendering him immobile within the span of five seconds of repetitive punches, kicks, jabs, thrusts, and to end it, an overhead elbow strike. The latter strike enveloped Tapkar in a field of bio-electricity, sending him crashing into the arena floor with an explosive impact, leaving him twitching and unconscious.

Landing on the ground, Burter moved to the right, posing flamboyantly towards the North Quadrant's crowd, shouting victorious, "Burter, the Blue Hurricane, hassssss won thissssss battle!"

Tostool finally regained his composure, his hidden eyes having grown dizzy trying to keep up with the action that took place in less than two minutes time, "INCREDIBLE! WHAT A FANTASTIC FINISH! IT LOOKED LIKE TAPKAR HAS RUN OUT OF GAS, AND BURTER HASN'T BROKEN A SWEAT! BURTER, THE BLUE HURRICANE, HAS WON THE FIFTIETH BATTLE, AND WILL NOW PROCEED INTO THE SECOND ROUND!"

* * *

**Battle 60**

**PAPOI**

**VS**

**RECOOME**

As the battles passed by, some of the audience began to become complacent. While certain conflicts were entertaining, the brutality and flashy style of fighting that they've come to expect from members of the the Ginyu Force. Armored Squadron quickly fell out of favor, as Dore's brutal finish with Maraikoh, and the remaining other two fighters being slaughtered by their respective opponents, leaving the infamous Elite of King Cold and Frieza's to continue on with the support of the crowd.

This especially was certain when the name of Recoome was heard, with a great many fans standing up to their feet with cheer and ecstatic anticipation.

As the two fighters began flying towards the arena, Jeice and Burter were seen approaching the mushroom-headed announcer of the Other World Tournament.

"Hey, Gov'nor! Might being a pally and fork over dat mike of yours?" Jeice asked with a smile, waving a beckoning hand towards the midget Tostool.

After briefly looking down, he placed his hand over the mike to speak personally to the martial artist he saw fighting in the prior fight, "Jeice is it? Exactly why do you need the microphone?"

"Narration, of course!" Jeice spoke out with an exclamation, an excited visage donning the red-skinned, Aussie-accented warrior, "Burter and I always wanted to host a ripe rally of a show like we got right here. With Recoome coming up to bat, its usually a good thing for...morale...more or less, for us all to be giving him good cheer and the like, ya follow?"

"Uh...I guess it would be alright for this one time," Tostool looked over towards the observation booth of the Kais, keeping his mind open for directions from the Grand Kai in particular. When he heard no objections after a few seconds, he nodded with a smile, handing the mike over to the white-maned fighter, "here you go. Just hand it back to me after the fight is done."

"Thanks, mate! You're the best!" Jeice spoke aloud with thanks, throwing a casual hand to the small man's back. Unfortunately, due to his higher than average strength, he accidentally sent poor Tostool hurtling head over heels, until he came to a sudden halt into the West Quadrant's barrier, absorbing his impact before he could roll any further, "owwwww..."

"Sorry about that, hehe!" Jeice said sheepishly, scratching the back of his head.

"Just...go..." Tostool waved back at them exasperatedly, hoping they'd just start the fight without him. His head spun as it was, he didn't need anymore accidents happening to him now.

"Right! C'mon, Burter!" Jeice beckoned his taller partner and comrade, both of them taking to the air within a blast of scarlet energy, enveloping them both to propel them high above the arena, facing all of the stadium.

After spitting and testing the microphone, Jeice inhaled, before letting his voice fill the mike with a bright smile on his face, "GREETINGS ALL, LADIES AND GENTS! FOR THIS FIGHT, IT IS MY GREAT PLEASURE I SHALL BE PREFORMING THE SAID DUTIES OF NARRATOR AND ANNOUNCER! SO...ARE YOU ALL READY FOR A RIPPIN' ROWDY BRAWL? ARE YOU?!"

The crowd quickly went with the flow, shouting aloud with enthusiasm and even louder volume than what Tostool's reactions had been.

Teasing, Jeice raised a hand up to his mockingly to try hearing the crowd's deafening roar, "WHAT'S THAT?! I THINK I HAD SOME DIRT IN ME EARS! WHAT DID YOU FINE LASSIES AND GENTS WANT?!"

"A BATTLE!" The crowd roared back.

"A WHAT?!"

"A BATTLE!"

"THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO HEAR, HA-HA!" Jeice shouted back with good cheer, lowering himself in altitude, landing on the arena a good ten meters away from the space between Papoi and Recoome were standing.

"MY NAME'S JEICE..."

"...AND I'M BURTER!"

"TODAY, WE WILL INTRODUCE OUR FIGHTERS TO ALL OF YOU WHO ARE UNFAMILIAR WITH THEIR PAST ACHIEVEMENTS AND BATTLE STYLES! IN THIS CORNER," Jeice pointed in a flamboyant fashion, in sync with Burter, as if they became living arrows towards Papoi, "WE HAVE THE GIANT CHEF COMBATANT, PAPA-OI!"

"Its Papoi," Papoi muttered with disdain, already feeling uncomfortable, being exposed to the shenanigans of his opponent's comrades, "insufferable hooligans."

"OBVIOUSLY HE IS A BRUTISH FIGHTER WITH HARDLY ANY SKILL IN ACTUAL FLUID, NIMBLE, OR DEXTEROUS COMBAT WHATSOEVER! SO, TO KEEP Y'ALL FROM FALLIN' TO THE SNOOZES, LET'S MOVE ON!" Jeice spoke aloud with a jeeringly chuckle, grinning at his own mischief he created to the previously impassive fighter.

Papoi didn't say a thing, glaring at the presumptuous white-haired Captain of the Ginyu Force.

"IN THIS CORNER," Jeice announced aloud, pointing along with Burter flamboyantly in Recoome's direction, "IS A MAN OF REMARKABLE SKILL AND UNSPEAKABLE POWER! THE MAIN MAN RECOOME HIMSELF, LEGENDARY IN LIFE AS ONE OF THE STRONGEST ELITES, CAPABLE OF BRINGING ENTIRE PLANETS TO HIS KNEES SINGLEHANDEDLY! HIS POISE GRACEFUL, HIS STEPS INCOMPARABLE, AND HIS POWER IS UNSTOPPABLE! GIVE IT UP FOR REEEEEEEEECOOOOOOOOME!"

"Yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!" Recoome shouted up to the now spurred-on audience, raising his arms up into the air with a wide, crazed smile on his face.

"ANY FINAL WORDS, MY MAIN MAN, THAT YOU'D LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOUR OPPONENT BEFORE WE GET THIS SHOW KICKIN'?" Jeice asked Recoome, leaping over to his side and raising his microphone to Recoome's mouth.

Chuckling, Recoome narrowed his eyes, as his deep voice filled the air with an unsettling sense of determination and confidence, "SO, YOU ARE A FIGHTER OF JUSTICE FROM THE SOUTHERN GALAXY? A DEFENDER OF THE WEAK, HELPLESS, AND HONOR, IS THAT RIGHT?"

Papoi narrowed his own eyes, unfolding his arms as he spoke back to him in a less magnified, but still audible tone, "Yes, I am."

"DID YOU GIVE YOUR OWN LIFE TO PROTECT THE ONES YOU CARE ABOUT? WERE YOU WILLING TO KEEP TO THE HIGH GROUND, JUST LIKE ANY HERO WOULD DO?"

"Yes, I did," Papoi arched a brow with curiosity.

"DO YOU KNOW WHAT, PAPA-OI?!" Recoome asked with a smile.

"Its PAPOI you-!"

"THAT DOESN'T MEAN A DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMN THING TO THIS MAN RIGHT HERE!" Recoome yelled out with widened eyes, almost to the point of looking insane, "LOOK AT WHERE YOUR IDEALS GOT YOU! LOOK WHERE YOU ARE! YOU ARE DEAD, JUST LIKE THE REST OF US! THE ONLY THING WE HAVE IN COMMON, IS THE DRIVE TO FIGHT, EVEN TO THE DEATH!"

Moving his arms to his right, he shouted aloud, "CAUSE NOW YOU'RE FACING THE FIVE TIME CHAMPION!"

Moving his arms to his left along with his hips, he shouted again, "THE AMPIN' ENVOY! OF! YOUR...!"

Tossing the microphone in the air, Recoome spun to the side, pointing to Papoi's left with his right leg holding himself up, his left leg hanging out, his wrists on his hips, and his head pointing forward, with Burter holding the mike right next to his mouth, "DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!"

The crowd went nuts. It was as if the whole performance was some sort of spell, and Jeice and Burter were the magicians, riling up their basest source of excitement to the surface.

It was a display that caused Papoi's eyes to widen with bewilderment, as if he was a mere side act, or the main course of a hungry beast, fed to it for the crowd's entertainment. Somehow, he felt as if he could actually lose this fight, just by witnessing the bizarre display of antics of the three squad mates of the Ginyu force.

"YOU HEARD THE MAN, FOLKSSSSSS!" Burter held the mike up to his mouth, leaping into the air with Jeice, giving the two fighters a decent berth as they landed a good two dozen meters away from the fighters, "LET'SSSS GET THE SSSSSSHOW ROLLIN'!"

Retrieving the mike, Jeice raised his hand up dramatically, "LET THE SIXTIETH BATTLE OF THE FIRST ROUND COMMENCE!"

* * *

It was then during the few moments that Jeice and Burter were gaining distance that the two fighters properly examined each other.

From what Recoome could see, Papoi was nearly the same size and weight in physical disposition. But that is where the similarities end. With turquoise complexioned skin, Papoi sports a pair of pointed ears, slanted towards the back of his head, with a mane of brown hair that rests over the top of his back. Part of his upper facial features are obscured by what looks like a red wrestler mask, tucked into the folds of what could hilariously described as a chef's hat, resting atop of his crown. With a white cloak wrapped around his neck, loosely hanging over his right arm, it conceals part of his purple colored linen battle slacks and brown belt. His boots were golden outlined over a strip of brown on the front end of his black boots. With finality, he also sported a pair of red-gold bands on either of his wrists.

What Papoi saw was more of the same detestable uniform design donning each and every one of Frieza's ex-Elite squad, the Ginyu Force. Easily his own height, he sported a crop of orange hair, with a human-compared complexion, but with a massive jaw and massive muscles rolling down each limb and over his torso. A pair of brown pauldrons rested on each shoulder of the white plasteel armor, with a crest on the left pectoral plate signifying his position as a Ginyu Force member. With a pair of white gloves and boots, and black linen protective cloth covering most of his thighs, upper arms, and groin area, the man looked every bit the former Planet Trade Soldier infamously known throughout the Northern Galaxy.

"Tch!" Papoi lifted his arms swiftly up to bear on Recoome the moment they announced the beginning of the fight. If they wanted a show, he'll give one. He just hoped that his techniques would get the best of the orange haired freak before he got the better of him.

With that in mind, his hands lit alight with crimson energy, shouting aloud as his cloak billowed out behind his back, with both arms extended before him, "**Chilli Pepper Barrage!**"

"UH-OH! IT LOOKS LIKE PAPA-OI HAS LAUNCHED A SWIFT OFFENSIVE AGAINST RECOOME!" Jeice commented as he saw the barrage of crimson-tinted, conical-shaped blasts heading towards Recoome.

"Recoooooooome," Recoome inhaled as he spoke, rearing his head back as his chest expanded. Just before the first of the Chilli Pepper blasts could reach him, his voice bellowed out with enormous force, "ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAR!"

The thunderous Kiai projected from Recoome was so great, that the continuous barrage of explosive energy projectiles were nullified upon contact. Papoi's eyes barely had time to comprehend the enormous rippling shockwave that knocked his generated blasts aside, before striking him head on, blowing him backwards with force that ripped apart the surface of the arena along with his body.

"OH! IT LOOKS LIKE THE RECOOME ROAR BROKE THE INCESSANT WAVE OF HOT FIREPOWER!" Jeice commented with enthusiasm, raising his fist in emphasis as he spoke, "HE SURE BLEW AWAY THE COMPETITION, DIDN'T HE, BURTER?"

"THINGSSS ALREADY LOOK SPICCCCED UP AROUND HERE!" Burter noted with a wry grin.

As Papoi began to rise from his back, he saw the distant Recoome clapping above his head, chanting aloud.

"Recoooooooooome..."

Then, Papoi's eyes widened at what happened next.

"...CHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGE!" Just as Recoome shouted it, so it came to pass that Recoome became enveloped by a scarlet aura, his body flowing forth with enough momentum to gain quick distance launch a vicious punch into Papoi's guard.

As the blistering wind flew from the point of contact, Papoi gritted his teeth as he threw his own punch towards Recoome, striking his own guard with a powerful gust of wind. As the two warriors locked onto each other, they reared back, and swung their respective legs, kicking out and hitting each other's lower appendages with a vibrant thunderclap of kinetic reverberations.

Breaking away from each other, Papoi and Recoome circled around, studying each other's movements accordingly.

Then, within an instant, the two disappeared from view, re-appearing sporadically across the air as they struck and repelled each other's attacks furiously, each one trying to gain an edge over the other. The ballooning cracked areas of air pressure spread out, creating breathtaking winds that blisteringly blew throughout the stadium, while projecting flashes of bio-lightning from points of impact the warriors hit each other from.

"Recooooooome," Recoome announced as he grappled Papoi's forcefully forward, before thrusting an downward elbow strike to his forehead, "ELBOOOOOOOW!"

"OOOH! PAPA-OI JUST GOT STRUCK BY A VICIOUS RECOOME ELBOW!" Jeice commented with a feigning look of emphasized wincing.

"RECOOME DOESSSSSN'T SSSSSEEM TO GIVE THAT CHEF ANY OPENINGSSSSS!" Burter jeered with a wide grin.

"YOU BLOODY RIGHT HE ISN'T!" Jeice spoke with agreement.

Papoi winced, feeling blood trickle down his face as his back lied within an indented crater upon the arena. He knew there was a big gash, and he was having a hard time breaking through Recoome's guard. Despite his maddening stances and dead giveaway announced techniques, the orange-haired warrior always timed them to when they were in his best interests, almost as if he was priming power behind each strike that he planned out.

As his vision cleared, he saw Recoome charging down, his scarlet aura blazing around him, almost making him look like a human comet. The impact, he knew, would be devastating if it connected.

Within a split second movement, Papoi lifted his hands up hands up and unleashed a powerful wave of crimson energy, shouting out, "**Chilli Pepper Wave!**"

Recoome got hit, dead-on, giving some relief to Papoi that he didn't dodge it.

However, what caused relief quickly turned into bewildered shock, as Recoome's body plowed through the fiery wave, slamming both extended fists into his chest. This broke the fueling wave of incinerative energy, as blood and saliva spewed out from Papoi's mouth, the crater extending and deepening a good extra five meters. Scarlet energy bristled around Recoome's body, even as his pauldrons and some hair had been singed, he looked totally unaffected.

"Silly, Papa-oi!" Recoome chuckled darkly, as he flipped back onto his feet, as he hauled Papoi up by his cloak's collar, "did you honestly think that your spicy attacks would phase me. You should know...THE NAME'S, RECO-KAFF-KAFF-KAFF!"

Papoi responded in kind, spewing what could be seen as a ash cloud, directly into the eyes and wide open mouth of the burly, orange-haired fighter. Phasing out of his cloak, leaving it behind of the writhing fighter, Papoi continued to spew the smokescreen, letting it billow out to enormous volumes, almost consuming the entire kilometer of the arena platform.

When he rose to a considerable height, the spewing cloud that enraptured Recoome looked contained, almost willed to not leave the arena and over the grass. It made sense, for what happened next.

With a audible crunching sound, following a biting gesture, a spark lit up from the trail of ash-like substance, quickly turning alight with vibrant flames of yellow-orange tongues, racing down towards the billowing cloud. Within an instant, a massive explosion formed, as a localized blast of voluminous flames spewed upwards before Papoi, causing his chef hat to billow, as he passively stared at the flames that consumed the enemy he fought.

"OH MY BLEEDING GAMIKAI! RECOOME'S BEEN COOKED!" Jeice spoke aloud with alarm.

Burter's eyes widened, as he raised his own arms to protect him from the intense flames that billowed out from the entirety of the arena, "IT DOESSSSN'T LOOK LIKE HE'SSSS MOV-...WAIT! WAIT! I SSSSSPOKE TOO SSSSSOON!"

"YA BLEEDIN' RIGHT YOU DID!" Jeice spoke with excitement, in turn, with the whole stadium.

Indeed, what appeared to have been a death sentence to the disoriented warrior, was revealed to not have done in the crowd's new favorite. Papoi's eyes widened at the sight of Recoome rising through the pillar of flames, his own aura of scarlet energy expanding, seeming to blow back the flames below, and show a pair of fearsome eyes glow from beyond the super-heated tongues, created by the fiery explosion.

"Very clever. Recoome commends you for your quick thinking and use of extreme force," Recoome applauded Papoi as he appeared from beyond the fiery pillar, revealing himself in all of his glory. Despite parts of his skin being chastely burned, his armor decimated, parts of the protective linent scorched, Recoome looked as if he was caught within a firecracker explosion, instead of a hellish blast like he had been, "but do you know what Recoome calls for in a time like this?"

"W-What?" Papoi asked, agape that one of his best techniques failed.

"Recooooooome..." Recoome made a series of dramatic gestures, causing Papoi to grimace at the flamboyancy of it all. Unfortunately, it was due to his lack of focus, that allowed Recoome to swiftly appear behind him, forcing the chef-hat donned warrior to turn around, as he received a powerful backhanded attack as his nemesis shouted aloud, "BITCH SLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAP!"

As Papoi corkscrewed towards the flaming pit he created, he felt as if his entire right jaw had been shattered, even breaking a few teeth in the process. As his back hit the arena ground with a powerful quaking impact, blowing back all of the flames within one gushing burst of pressurized wind and debris, he knew the battle for him was lost.

"OI! IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE PAPA-OI IS GETTING UP!" Jeice spoke aloud with raised brows, looking over at Burter with query, "HEY, BURTER! DID THE RECOOME BITCH SLAP DO PAPA-OI IN?!"

"NO, I THINK FLAMING CHEF HASSSSS FINALLY ACCEPTED HISSSS DEFEAT. I DON'T SEE HIM MOVING!" Burter nodded with resignation.

"ALRIIIIIIIIIGHT, RECOOME HAS WON THE SIXTIETH BATTLE OF THE FIRST ROUND, MAKING HIM QUALIFY FOR THE SECOND ROUND! LET'S HEAR IT FOR RECOOOOOME!"

The crowd roared with overwhelming excitement, having witnessed a certainly spectacular battle and thoroughly enjoyed the commentary from both Jeice and Burter alike.

As the two dropped down towards Tostool's side, Jeice flipped the mike around before handing it back to the midget announcer, "There ya go, mate! Just as we agreed."

"Thank you," Tostool nodded with a smile, glad to see the man, despite where he came from, knew how to keep his word, "that show you put on was really something. Though I think it was a little biased. Maybe if you had given both fighters an equal approach of enthusiasm, perhaps the crowd would've appreciated that?"

"Well, I think ya maybe right, chief, but then again, you could clearly see who the superior warrior was, am I right?" Jeice pointed towards Recoome, as he floated in the air with a victorious, albeit crazed-looking grin on his face.

"Yeah...well, if I need a break from announcing and refereeing these fights in the future, I'll know who to hand it off to," Tostool, spoke with enthusiasm as he redirected the conversation.

"Thanks, pally! You're the be-" Jeice began to say, as his hand swung towards the small announcer's back, but hit nothing but air, "-eh?"

"Cheesy nibblets!" Burter exclaimed, realizing that Tostool somehow took off, leaving a comical trail of dust to him running to the opposing end of the stadium's field, "THAT WAS FAST! Well...not as fast as...the fastest in the Universe, but in comparison-"

"I get it, mate, it was cool," Jeice chided with a sigh, as the two soared back to their squad's designated area of the Northern Quadrant contender area.

* * *

**Battle 70**

**GULDO**

**VS**

**CATERPY**

The anticipation for further battles with the Ginyu Force participating, overall, had been sated to a certain degree. As the battles rolled on, no one suspected to see another conflict arise with a member of the prestigious, and so far, superior skilled group of fighters. If it wasn't through sheer power and precision, it was through cunning and clever tactics that they won their battles. That the next fighter announced, Guldo, was expected to meet those kinds of demands.

Unfortunately, the suspense was getting to Guldo.

"Breathe, buddy, breathe," Jeice encouraged his profusely sweating, dwarf-sized compatriot, as he used a brown bag to keep himself from hyperventilating, "its just a match, not even involving any bloody Saiyans. You can do this, mate!"

"Recoome thinks Guldo's going to choke," Recoome spoke with a smirk.

"Not helping, Recoome!" Jeice spoke back with an angry glare, "we don't want Guldo to forfeit before he gets his feet on the arena!"

"Who here wantssss to bet how long it'll take him to croak?" Burter jeered with his own grin.

"Burter! Not! Helping!" Jeice yelled with an incredulous tone at Burter, quieting him and Recoome down as he waved his arm in emphasis, "he's trained very hard for this, and has gained a great deal of power. He can do this! If you stop dissing the poor bloke, he's going to knock the snot out of that Cater-wanker, whoever he is!"

An audible pop was heard, causing Jeice to turn around, and see Guldo breathing normally, having popped his bag in emphasis.

"Ya good, mate?" Jeice knelt down to eye level, asking his four-eyed, bulbous shaped comrade with concern.

"Yeah...Yeah I can do this! I can do this!" Guldo nodded, chanting it a couple of times to reassure himself.

"Good! Now hustle double time! That's an order!" Jeice spoke with a smile, pointing towards the arena.

"Right! Here I go!" With a high pitched squeal of confidence, Guldo enveloped himself in an aura of emerald-white energy, jettisoning himself to the arena and away from his compatriots.

As soon as he was out of hearing range, Burter leaned over to Recoome's side, "Wanna bet how long it takes for him to get knocked out?"

"Recoome likes the sound of that," the carrot-topped giant spoke with a devilish grin, despite the fact they were betting on their friend's fate, and predicting his failure.

Jeice could only hope that Guldo could end the fight before it became too big for him to handle.

* * *

As soon as Guldo landed on the arena, he gazed up at his opponent with amusement. Despite the fact he never learned how to harness energy sensory, he could see that the fighter in front of him wasn't that impressive.

Guldo is a short, bulbous-shaped, four-eyed fighter. He had stubby-like arms and legs, making evasion and movement in a physical sense awkward for him to handle, especially for intense combat. His armor, similar to all of the others, covered over his arms and legs completely, ending with tucked in white gloves and boots, with brown shoulder pauldrons on either side of his white piece of breastplate armor, branded with the Ginyu Force insignia.

What Guldo saw was a much larger opponent, bearing resemblance to the human creature called the caterpillar. With the lower half of his body wrapped in fine violet-colored combat linen, with brown fighter shoes, and a red sash wrapped around what would be a human waistline, all semblances of normal humanoid shape would end there. Beige colored underbelly sported multiple ridges, each them having equally spaced and parallel aligned arms about two feet long, all with white gloves wrapped over them. From the back, he sports a pair of green spikes from his hips, splaying out in opposite angled directions. Speckled with black over a green surface, Caterpy's back bulged out almost like a piece of armored carapace, ending with a hunch-angled head protruding forward, with a helm-shaped piece of carapace wrapping over the red-eyed, antenna protruding fighter.

"WITH BOTH FIGHTERS STANDING ON THE RIGHT, LET THE SEVENTIETH MATCH BEGIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIN!" Tostool spoke with dramatic declaration, swinging his arm downwards in emphasis to get the fighters going.

Caterpy began chuckling, all of his hands twitching and flexing intermittently, as his eyes locked onto Guldo's four eyes.

Likewise, Guldo snickered, as he thought up of a number of ways to put his psychic prowess to good use against the enormous-sized fighter.

When Caterpy hopped in one direction, so too did Guldo, raising his arms out and grunting with concentration, all the while Caterpy did the same. The two locked their eyes respectively, almost as if they were having an intense showdown with just who could hold their stare the longest.

Then, something happened.

Guldo's eyes widened as he saw Caterpy's eyes begin to glisten and glimmer, then glow brightly. Instincts kicking in, Guldo swung his hands to cover his eyes, as he wailed purposely, "Agh! My eyes! You bastard!"

"Hehehehe!" Caterpy chuckled deeply with victory in his mind. Rearing back two hands, he swung them both at Guldo, hoping to gain the element of surprise and knock him out with one fell swoop, "gotcha-HUH?!"

"No, I got you!" Guldo swung his hands in time to send the arms curving away, before his hold over Caterpy was complete, holding him directly in the air, "my forward eyes may be susceptible to blindness or hypnotism, but my outer eyes are immune to those sort of things. It is why they don't blink, and why they're always attentively locked onto my surroundings. In short, I have a vague idea where everything is around me, especially with my forward eyes closed!"

"Uh...Uh...Uh!" Caterpy gasped aloud, quite unsure how to break out of the telekinetic bonds holding him fast by Guldo's control.

"Now! Fall over, haha!" Guldo laughed aloud, as he turned on his heels, swinging his hands with mnemonic control over Caterpy's body, sending him flying head over heels across the arena floor.

Unfortunately, it was at this point that Guldo's telekinetic control was lost, thinking the lumbering enemy would fall straight onto his face. It was at this point where Caterpy folded in on himself, turning into an armored ball of sorts, and bounced on the ground. Doing so, Caterpy enveloped himself with an aura of bright blue energy, spinning himself rapidly overhead, too fast for Guldo to keep up with.

When Caterpy launched himself at Guldo, the latter fighter swiftly balled his fists and grimaced, before screaming out. Within an instant, all time halted, causing the actions of everything within the space surrounding him to not move a fraction of an inch. This allowed Guldo a look at Caterpy's swirling vortex, bearing resemblance to a combination attack both Burter and Jeice would do in the heat of battle. As Guldo creeped a few steps out of the way, Guldo raised his hands and used telekinesis to aim Caterpy to land smack dab onto the ground below, rather than bounce, he made sure to levitate him only a small distance above the arena floor.

Feeling he did his job well, Guldo swung his arms back, allowing time to recede and his opponent to crash spectacularly onto the arena floor with explosive force. If anyone else but his squad or those who fought him in the past seen him, they'd think he moved at incredibly swifter speeds than he's really capable of. This always allowed him a small chuckle, fooling people into making out as some form of powerful fighter.

But even within the rubble, Caterpy wasn't quite through with Guldo yet, much to the latter's surprise. Four pairs of arms jettisoned out with incredible speed, grabbing a hold of the fat, midget sized fighter and hauling him back, twisting him rest on his soft underbelly while being pinned by four pairs of arms.

"Ha! Now I got you!" Caterpy poised his hands over his opponent, causing him to sweat bullets. What diabolical scheme did he have now?!

Then, when the hands grappled all of the pressure points of Guldo's body, as well as holding his head still, it became all too clear. Guldo couldn't help but laugh aloud, as he would be subjected to a terrible case of tickle torture.

"AHAHAHAHAHA, AHAHAHAHAHAHA, AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Guldo snorted and laughed out loud, causing the entire audience to fall silent with dumbfoundment.

A member of the Elite Ginyu Force was held in a grapple and was being tickled?

* * *

Goku could only shiver, seeing the poor Ginyu Force member writhe in the hold of Caterpy's incessant tickle torture, only made him feel bad for the this Guldo, "I kind of feel sorry for the guy..."

"Are you kidding? That kiddy shit wouldn't work on me!" Hanassia muttered aloud with a snarl, acting quite irritated at the farce of a fight that was being displayed.

Olibu, who had been content to stay quiet through most of the spectacles, couldn't help but sweatdrop at the sight of the situation at hand, "Perhaps...the South Galaxy is more peaceful than others?"

"If they were, I wouldn't be surprised if it was annihilated," Bardock quipped with a smirk, while frowning at the bizarre show of torture before his eyes.

Goku, however, couldn't help but snicker, being reminded of what really happened to the South Galaxy.

* * *

"South, what the Hell have you been training Caterpy to be? A clown?!" King Kai couldn't help but speak aloud with incredulous disbelief, his own halo sitting slanted on his head in emphasis of his disbelief.

Comically, East and West were struck silent, incapable of responding to what they were witnessing.

Even Grand Kai sweatdropped at the scene that unfolded before his shade-covered eyes.

"Oh don't count Caterpy out just yet, King Kai. I'm pretty sure no one knows the true intent behind those constant waves of tickling, let alone you," South spoke with a wry grin of assurance and knowing, "besides, tickle torture is probably the best way to get someone to give up without hurting them too badly. It'll also be a nice blow of humiliation to the Ginyu Force brutes that keep hogging the spotlight of every fight they're in!"

"Well, let's just hope and see that your fighter pulls through, South," Grand Kai spoke with renewed interest, as he looked down to gaze at the progress of the champion of the South Quadrant, and the villainous minion of the North Quadrant.

* * *

Guldo couldn't believe it. He felt himself writhing in the worst agony, and he didn't feel an ounce of pain. The constant contortions of odd spasms rushing through his body, and the aching reverberations of laughter exiting out of his mouth caused him to become more and more exhausted. He couldn't think, he couldn't plot, he couldn't strategize.

Worst of all, the hands holding his head seemed to be numbing his brain, as if something was touching his mind. As if all the times he used his techniques, discovering them for the first time, and refining them all unwillingly came to the surface without his control, it caused him fear. This giant bug, this beast was stealing his thoughts while making him roll around in unbelievable torture!

"Hahaha! Just give up, Guldo! You can't win against me now!" Caterpy insisted as he continued his incessant tickling, smiling deviously as he cackled, "my shell is almost nigh impregnable to kinetic force or harmed by the elements. If you had me land on my face or my belly, I'd be in great, terrible, pai-NNNNNNNGH?!"

With a final contortion of laughter, Guldo willed his energy to his skull and shocked Caterpy's hands away from it. As his enemy released hold of his skull, he bent it down, and flew it back with additional force via telekinesis, indenting his belly. The force caused him to gasp out in pain, and release the short fighter, allowing him to land on his feet, as he buckled in pain.

"Ow...owwwwwwww," Caterpy moaned in agony, as tears welled up to the surface, as he glared at Guldo, "y-y-you hurt me!"

"No kidding! What was your first clue, the shock I sent to your hands or the headbutt to your baby soft belly?!" Guldo jeered and mocked, glad to see his opponent in agony before him.

"I-I-I'll make you s-s-sorry!" Caterpy groaned out, as his eyes glowed brilliantly, as he began to kneel, and then curl onto his front side. Within a bizarre next few seconds, Caterpy's shell began to turn tan and colorless, as funneling threads jettisoned from parts of the bug's body, wrapping it into a tight cocoon of webbing, effectively sealing it shut.

Guldo, had no way of responding, just staring agape and with confoundment, "D-D-Did...I win?!"

* * *

"Hey, what's he doing? Taking a nap?!" King Kai asked incredulously, as he turned towards South for confirmation.

"At least he's not tickling people anymore," West could only sigh in relief, wiping his forehead clean of sweat, having been projected during the ridiculous nature of that scene of the battle, "what a shame he's giving up..."

"Hold all of your camaros," South Kai spoke with assurance, waving his hands towards the others, as he raised a hand up into the air, "what you're seeing is the pupa form of Caterpy. Soon, he will undergo a metamorphosis, and don the most ultimate form of all time!"

"How long is that going to take, South?" Grand Kai asked with curiosity.

With a sheepish grin, South Kai cleared his throat, as he raised an index finger with certainty, "I think its around...possibly...nine-"

The sensation that swept and the sound they heard caused them all to pause. Looking down, they couldn't believe what they were experiencing, let alone South, as he knew for certainty what was happening shouldn't be happening at all!

* * *

VMMMM! "W-What was that?!" Guldo looked around within a daze, having felt a pulse rush down his subconscious and down his spine. It felt as if something distorted the space around him, yet he couldn't place his thumb down on it. When he looked towards the source of it, he saw the shell encasing the fighter formerly known as Caterpy began cracking, he knew where it came from.

As the cocoon cracked, brilliant rays of beautiful silver light sprayed through, as a staggeringly high amount of energy could be felt from within the splintering shell. Within a matter of seconds, the cocoon broke open, releasing a streaming fissure of light that blinded Guldo, giving off the sensation a localized star had just been born into the world.

When Guldo's senses, as well as the rest of the audience that looked on, cleared up, the short green fighter gawked at what he saw before him.

A radiant aura glowed from the skin of a smooth, marble clear layer of skin of a much more humanoid being. Glistening black hair draped down the shoulders and flourished behind the creature, with a pair of retracted butterfly wings, glistening like ice and glass to the eye. Long sleeves of emerald leaf-sewn linen draped down gracefully down smooth arms and a generously lithe and splendid body, with a white brooch resting over the center of the expanded pair of top-visible cleavage. The smooth legs hovered but a few inches off the ground, with bare feet causing the surface of the arena to subtly crackle and melt from proximate contact...

"A-A girl?!" Guldo seemed to gasp out, comically so, in sync with most of the audience.

"My life as Caterpy is no more, and now, I am Butterwing," the silk-laced words rolled out of the smooth peach-colored lips, as emerald eyes opened to stare impassively at Guldo, with an almost intimidating sense of dispassion towards her foe, "and your fight with me, is over."

"O-Oh really?!" Guldo snarled back, raising his hands up in preparation, "and what's going to sto-"

What happened, caused Guldo to revisit the same sensation as before, but over his whole body. Before he could finish his sentence, he found himself eating dirt, having been plunged into the soil just a dozen meters away from his respective Ginyu Force comrades. The event all transpired before anyone could blink, and the newfoundly evolved combatant, Butterwing, barely landed on the ground with a satisfied smile on her face.

Turning on her heels, she waved up towards the Kais with an innocent visage on her face, "I'm all done now, right, Master South?"

* * *

South's mouth joined the other Kais, including the Grand Kai's, in comical agape expression. Not only the fighter, previously known as Caterpy, managed to turn the tables on a known devious combatant from the Ginyu Force, but evolved to a level that has never been witnessed before.

After regaining his composure, Grand Kai slyly chuckled towards South, "Judging from the expression you're displaying, South, I'm assuming that you never seen a fully evolved member of Caterpy's race, hmm?"

"Uh...no..." South muttered, hanging his head with dejection.

"Ah, I see. So that was all just a bluff to get us all thinking your fighter was really great before we fell on our backs, is that right?" King Kai asked with a knowing look on his own face.

"Yeah," South said sheepishly.

"South," King Kai put a hand on his taller friend, speaking sagely, "leave the jokes and startling revelations to me, okay?"

* * *

Tostool still couldn't shut his jaw. From what he just witnessed, Caterpy had went from a blubbering and awkward fighter into a majestic beauty that ended the fight within less than a blink of the eye. He couldn't even see movement, let alone follow it. Clearing up his throat, he spoke into the mic, getting Butterwing's attention with his proclaiming voice, "WELL WHAT DO YOU KNOW FOLKS? I GUESS SUPER SAIYANS AREN'T THE ONLY ONES WITH A SPECTACULAR TRANSFORMATION HUH?! WITH GULDO FACE PLANTING IN THE OUT OF BOUNDS AREA, HE HAS FORFEITED THE MATCH, LEAVING CAT-er-BUTTERWING AS THE WINNER, MOVING HER ONTO THE SECOND ROUND!"

"Yesssssss!" Butterwing jumped up with giddiness and joy, her wings lifting her up, before leaving a trail of sparkly energy as she flew back to the Northern Quadrant contenders area.

* * *

"Wow! Now that was something, huh?!" Goku spoke with amazement and cheer, his eyes having a hard time taking them off Butterwing's graceful and beautiful form that glided and flew gracefully through the air, disappearing within the midst of the many fighters around her.

"Tch, show-off!" Hanassia grumbled, rolling her eyes at the sight.

"I think you're jealous," Bardock insinuated with a smirk.

"I think you like your hair the way it is," Hanassia pointedly ended the conversation, as she glared over at Bardock knowingly, "don't you?"

"Fine, whatever," Bardock sighed, putting his arms behind his head.

Olibu, on the other hand, couldn't help but smile with approval, as his eyes caught sight of the raven haired, white-skinned space fairy, "You're going to be a tough opponent, aren't you?"

* * *

Jeice's hands were massaging his temples, completely embarrassed by how things turned out. Even after Guldo was yanked out of the grass, he couldn't fathom how he got there, or when his opponent did.

"Sorry I let you down, Captain Jeice," Guldo said with a downtrodden disposition.

"No, Guldo, don't apologize. No one would've thought a bleeding caterpillar would've had that kind of power stored inside of him-er-her, that is," Jeice blinked a few times, still trying to wrap his head around what happened.

"Well, at leassssst you lasssssted alot longer than what we predicted," Burter spoke with encouragement.

Recoome frowned, "Recoome was certain he was going to win this time."

Jeice raised a hand towards the to of them, beckoning them with a smile of his own, "Pay up then, you blokes!"

"Fiiiiiine," Burter moaned, pulling out what passed as money to land in Jeice's hand, along with Recoome's stash.

Guldo furrowed his brows with confusion, then sudden realization, "You were betting on my odds of losing?!"

"We were, but you lasted longer than what these two wankers believed you to be. I had faith you'd do better," Jeice spoke with a note of encouragement, giving Guldo a thumb's up, "if you'd won that match, you'd be piled up with all of our bets."

Guldo mulled it over, then nodded with a sigh, "I guess its good to know that I did my best, huh?"

"Didn't get decapitated or anything," Jeice added with a slicing motion of his hand over his neck, sticking out his tongue with a chuckle, "glad to know you didn't lose your head out there, mate!"

As the other two joined in laughing, Guldo growled out at them with frustration, "That's not funny!"

* * *

**A/N:** _Well, I meant to get this up a few hours earlier, but I guess this is as good of time to update as any._

Other World Saga _Chapter 9 is done! With it, we got a lot of awesome battles involving Cooler's Armored Squadron and the Ginyu Force equally. I hope you enjoyed reading those as much as I had writing them out. _

_With more battles following through, more interesting characters are coming to surface. Soon we will reach the halfway point for the First Round, and we will determine the remaining important and memorable characters left. Hopefully, any remaining characters you want to see battle or be mentioned post-win of a past conflict, just let me know via PM or as a cliffnote part of your Review. _

_I'll see you all again on the next Chapter of,_ the Other World Saga!


	10. The Halftime Break

**CHAPTER NOTICE: This is a LONG, Planet-Busting Chapter! Due to the importance of these fights flowing through to the upcoming Halftime break, I felt it important to keep this chapter as one big package. So, feel free to pace yourself through this chapter as its a biggie. There'll be a total of five matches before the halftime break commences. If Long Chapters are not your thing...I dunno, I can't help you with what I feel like I want to publish, lol**

**Anyways, with that out of the way, enjoy the chapter! **

* * *

**THE OTHER WORLD SAGA**

* * *

**Chapter 10 - The Halftime Break**

* * *

**Battle 101**

**JACK LEE**

**VS **

**BRUCE HAN**

As battles progressed after the Ginyu Force and the Armored Squadron's battles were over, conflicts seemed to keep being spectacular in their own way. Each new fight brought something different to show off in front of the audience. With every battle down, the final battle becomes closer and closer to coming to pass for the first round. With so many fighters, it was hard to keep track of every participant, or label their importance due to the varying times it took for each match to be settled.

Finally after the one hundredth battle had been settled, a pair of fighters of the North Quadrant whom happened to be humans stepped forth onto the stadium's arena. Both began approaching each other, crossing the mile wide platform, only halting but a handful of meters away from each other. As the two greeted each other in ritualistic, honorary greeting with a bow of the head and one fist clasped in an open palm, the audience could then see them exposed in their grandeur.

Jack Lee, a man with long messy black hair, wore a dark blue traveler's kimono, with what looked like a satchel strapped over his shoulder, resting on his right hip. Below he wore a pair of beige hakama slacks, with a pair of tower clog sandals with blue tabi socks on. He bore a carefree grin on his face, and looked at complete ease, as if he was taking a stroll through the park.

The other was known as Bruce Han. Contrastingly, Bruce had a bowl cut crop of shiny black hair sitting atop his head. Bushy eyebrows rest just beneath his cleanly trimmed bangs, complementing the unusually sparkly twinkle coming from his shiny teeth. He wore what could be seen as a sleeveless black jumpsuit, with bright orange leg-warmers over his thighs, just above his leather-wrapped sandals binding over his bare feet. He, like Jack, also held a confident gleam and didn't appeared stressed or look even serious in his own demeanor.

"Who would've thought they'd pair the two of us in the First Round, eh, Bruce?" Jack Lee spoke with a humored chuckle.

Bruce Han raised his hands up, balling one into a fist and slamming it into an open palm with a mighty clap, as he chuckled with bemusement as well, "Fate must want us to clash, as we always should have. This past year has been a good wake up call, and, pardon the pun, but I'm dying to show you all the techniques I've wanted to use in an actual match!"

"I as well! Let us see who truly is the greatest martial artist of this Tournament, between the two of us!" Jack proposed with a pair of beckoning hands, forming the infamous 'come on' stance towards his longtime friend and rival.

"WITH BOTH FIGHTERS ON THE RING, LET THE ONE HUNDREDTH AND FIRST MATCH BEGIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIN!" Tostool announced with dramatic glee, causing the audience to roar with excitement and anticipated enthusiasm.

The two fighters didn't waste a single moment.

"HOOOOOWHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" Jack shouted out in a hilariously dramatic shout, placing himself in a crane equivalent stance, before leaping forward towards his opponent, spiraling through the air in a fluent motion that left gusts of wind in his wake, "**Spiraling Crane Missile!**"

Backflipping to gain as much distance from the incoming fighter, the agile fighter grunted aloud as he increased the space between the incoming whirling opponent and his own body. Bruce waited until the last moment when Jack would narily touch the fabric clinging to his muscular body, and then backflipped much higher, allowing Jack to pummel the arena tiles with incredible force, lacking the accuracy to follow him when he went airborne.

"Take this!" Bruce shouted aloud as his body glided across the air, rearing back his arms, before propelling them out with enormous force, "**Raging Blast Cannon!**"

Sliding back like a snake, Jack narrowly evaded the roiling dual expansive heads of pressurized wind cannon balls. As the dual projectiles crashed into the arena, an explosive thunderclap of concussive force to rip apart the surface of the arena. Even as the dust flew upwards into a mushroom cloud, Bruce allowed himself to land on the other side of the impact site, readying himself to reenter the fight while exhaling dramatically.

What came through the smoke cloud caused Bruce's eyes to widen with shock.

"Lion Mane Whip!" Jack screamed out, as his hair miraculously stretched out and extended in length dramatically, swinging through the pillar of smoke and landing a deafening crack on Bruce's exposed side, sending him tumbling to his right.

As Bruce winced at the stinging flesh he had on his ribs, he heard Jack guffaw out pridefully, "Like that?! The Lion Mane style allows my energy to flow through my hair, extending it to great lengths while remaining versatile and flexible. Yet its still as hard as steel when it makes contact with its target, smashing anything in its way to pieces!"

"Only steel? I guess you've lost your touch after all these years of being a drunken old man," Bruce taunted, readying himself with upraised hands, settling into what appeared to be clawed appendages, "why don't you try that again?!"

What he got in response was a high pitched scream, as a bundle of black tendrils flew swiftly to and fro around Bruce's being, aiming to repeatedly batter him relentlessly.

Swinging his arms out, reinforcing them with his own energy, he repelled the said hair whip with incredible resiliency, causing each collision to cause sparks and condensed claps of exploding air pressure. The flurry looked almost blinding to the observer, as the two held their ground, with one in offense and the other in immovable defense.

Something happened though.

Bruce managed to grasp the mass of hair, causing his heels to skid to the side a good meter in doing so, with both hands. Inhaling deeply through the nostrils, Bruce's chest inflated dramatically, if not hilariously, before shouting out in excess of a gale force breath.

"**Breath Blade Wind!**" The words came along with a powerful current of slicing airwaves, slicing up the incredibly extended and reinforced hair, as if it were nothing but butter. It was only by luck that Jack managed to leap to the right to avoid the airwaves, slicing up the surface of the arena before slamming into a distant corner of the stadium with ferocious collapse.

But Jack didn't come unscathed. Several gashes appeared across his clothing, showing signs of bleeding, with one said scratch being across his cheek. Despite this, the two of them could only smile as their eyes.

"This is getting good," Jack chuckled with anticipation, his eyes glimmering with eagerness, "I can't wait to see what either of us is really made of when the gloves come off."

"The feeling is mutual! I haven't felt this alive in a long while," Bruce spoke with eagerness, feeling his muscles twitch with readiness, and his heels turn with excitement, "let's show these guys what's in store for them!"

"Let's!" Jack shouted out with glee, screaming out fanatically as he leaped over the distance with Bruce returning in kind. Their kicks clashing in the air, and their bodies moving within tandem as they renewed the battle with eagerness, it became all too apparent that they were merely testing the waters and had yet to get serious.

The question was: How serious was their strongest abilities put to the test?

* * *

"I don't get it," Bardock asked with a twitch of annoyance, his arms crossed over his chest as he observed the fight transpiring in front of him in the horizon, "why are they screaming so exaggeratedly? It seems like a waste of energy..."

"Isn't that what we do in our battles?" Goku asked curiously, scratching his chin with some given thought on the subject.

Ignoring his son's comment with a grunt, he then threw his hand out exasperatedly at the two fighters' direction, "And what's with those weird technique names? I mean c'mon! Breath Blade Wind? Lion Mane Whip?! That's cheezy as Hell, not to mention weak sounding..."

"You're just jealous you haven't come up with good names for your own techniques," Hanassia spoke in a knowing tone, smirking as she heard Bardock visibly twitch at the mentioning of said truism.

"I...I just really want to fight...why the Hell is it not my turn?!" Bardock complained, his eyes appearing bloodshot as he sat down in a squat, facepalming with both of his hands as he groaned with boredom.

"Don't make a scene of yourself, for crying out loud," Hanassia spoke with an exasperated roll of her eyes, "you'll get your turn sooner or later..."

Meanwhile, despite the others' reactions, an amused chuckle of impressment was heard from Olibu. His eyes practically shined with joy at seeing the two fighters battling it out, and seemed to care a lot more than the Saiyans standing next to him.

Goku, curious about what Olibu knew, scooted out from between his parents and placed himself right in between his father's left and next to the giant human's right flank.

Noticing Goku's proximity, Olibu allowed himself to let out a congratulatory sigh as he peered out towards the two fiercely fighting martial artists, "They've improved a great deal, those two."

"You sound like you've known them for awhile," Goku noted offhandedly, as he watched the combatants move in and out of each other's guards, slamming their limbs off each other in parrying glances, not taking full on hits from each other, "how long have they've been dead?"

"Oh, about two thousand years or so your senior, so still quite a bit from my era. Still, I have gotten to know them within the time they've spent in Other Space, and we've all sparred with each other. They're quite talented, and they've learned well from King Kai, despite the time it took for them to adjust to the harsh environment of his planet," Olibu explained.

"Wow! I guess a lot of the Northern Galaxy have been students of King Kai's, huh?" Goku spoke with awe, taking a good look at all the standing and observing martial artists, all of them different shape, size, race, and color complexion, from one to the other.

"Nearly all of them have been trained by the King Kai. I myself was his student when I had passed onto this world," Olibu spoke admittedly, cupping his chin as he gazed at the battlefield beyond, "those two are an interesting pair. Both of them rivals from different cultures and different ideals, becoming rivals within the first meeting of each other. However, they both had a passion and a zeal for justice, which made them fast friends. Its because of them that the Earth had gained a measure of sincere peace and prosperity for generations after their passing."

"Huh, they're that strong?" Goku asked with intrigue, his anticipation in facing them for himself starting to mount, "so how did they die?"

Olibu began to chuckle, before bellowing out loudly enough to warrant most of the fighters' attention around him, including Goku's parents.

"W-What's so funny?" Goku asked with bewilderment.

"Oh well, its just the irony of their deaths that always brings a smile to my face," Olibu mentions with a brush of hand to swipe the tears of humor away from his eyes, before he looked over at Goku's shorter frame, "you see, these two men are an 'all-or-nothing' kind of pair. With only five years into their era of peace, they became incessantly bored and irritated by their mutual wives nagging at them doing nothing but lounging around and training. To solve their restlessness, they decided to have the match of a lifetime. Climbing to the highest mountain, they cleaved the peak right off to make one of the most grand and natural arenas of their time period. The battle they had was so fierce, that the energy produced from their fight gave birth to a terrifying thunderstorm, grander and more fierce than either of them had witnessed. That is, if they had noticed, but they were so ingrained on their personal vendetta they failed to see the danger they were in. After hours of close calls from the storm's barrage upon their skin, as well as their own attacks, they had settled their exhausted bodies into a grapple, trying to see which of them could throw the other off their feet. Neither of them got the chance however..."

"How come?" Goku asked with a blink of his eyes.

With a snicker, Olibu clapped, visibly emphasizing the next part of his story, "They were hit by the largest bolt of lightning of their era. The force did not destroy their bodies, but the stress of their from the battle and the tension from the grapple, caused both of their hearts to stop simultaneously. You could say their stubborn zeal to refuse giving up and wanting to fight to the bitter end was what killed them. But to me, they came to that mountaintop so they could die without regrets. Cause living life peacefully like normal people would've been worse than dying, in their minds anyways..."

"Ouch," Goku winced, his attention only broken by a defining silence elapsing from the arena, and the yelling from the two said combatants had stopped, "I guess I could sympathize. One of the reasons I felt so at peace being dead, at first, was because I died protecting the Earth again. It seemed okay at the time but...now I'm not so sure."

"We can talk more about that later, friend," Olibu spoke empathetically, placing a hand on Goku's shoulder while pointing out towards the arena, "they're about to make this battle a lot more interesting..."

* * *

"Well now...this is a surprise," Jack spoke aloud with a cackle, his body only slightly marred from the clashes he had from his adversary.

Likewise, Bruce also sported nothing but minor scrapes and scathing blows, chuckling with mutual bemusing humor at their situation, "If we keep this up, the crowd's likely going to fall asleep from how long this battle could take."

"We could keep this up at the level we're using for days, couldn't we?" Jack asked with a jocular guffaw.

"That we could," Bruce nodded with a grin.

With that being said, Jack reached towards his satchel, unfastening it as he spoke, "So...if you don't mind...I'm going to cut loose with a little secret weapon of mine I've wanted to test out in a place like this."

Bruce humored his longtime rival and comrade, crossing his arms in front of himself as he looked onwards with great anticipation.

What came out of the satchel was comically disproportionate with the container holding it. A giant gourd, almost as large as Jack's own body, with the bold letters inscribed it warning of alcoholic contents within it, withdrew from the forearm sized satchel. As he unscrewed the cork, Jack cackled mischievously as he lifted it up for all to see, before shouting, "BANZAI!" and proceeded to guzzle the bodily sized volume of sake from within.

* * *

"Oh dear Gamikai, no!" King Kai wailed aloud, his hands clasping his face as his brow profusely sweat bullets as he looked onwards with recognition.

"Something the matter, ol King?" Grand Kai asked with a tone of curiosity.

"Jack Lee...that numbskull...he's drinking the sake I asked him specifically NOT to drink!" King Kai shook his hands up and down.

"What's the big deal, Northy? So the guy wants to get drunk in the middle of a fight, big whoop, who cares?" West Kai spoke offhandedly with ignorance.

"It seems unruly for a man to drink that much, especially when he's expected to compete," East Kai fanned herself, also blissfully unaware of the coming storm King Kai knew was coming.

"Wait a minute...is he doing what I think he's doing?" South Kai asked with a sense of familiarity, as if he's seen the event transpire before.

"He's a Drunken Boxing Master, so much so that whenever he drinks alcohol, his body releases a deep hidden power trapped within his being. As if unlocking all of the restraints on his mind, while also welling up his energy to the surface, he becomes an unnaturally gifted warrior with unprecedented power. Out of all the humans I've ever trained, Jack Lee is perhaps one of the most hellbent on using his irrationality when induced into drunken stupor as a means of unlocking his battle instincts to their maximum," King Kai spoke aloud with reverence, though still seemed to be bathed in nervous sweat.

"That sounds rather impressive," Grand Kai spoke with an impressed grin, stroking his beard in thought, while noticing this did nothing to stop the flow of beading sweat crawling down his scalp, "but you don't sound convinced its helpful...?"

"That's not it. Whenever he drinks _that_ kind of sake, the Fire Blood Sake, he unlocks a power far greater than he's capable of consciously bringing out. Ultimately, he goes into a mode that I've called...**the Drunken God state!**" Hanging his head, he pointed towards the ring in emphasis of his embarassment, "and he's not the most dignified when he's this drunk..."

* * *

"YAAAAAAAAAAAAHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Jack Lee shouted out with glee, as his lips left the now empty gourd with a wet smack, crushing the container with both hands as his skin almost turned blood red from the consumption process, "I...J-J-JACK LEEEEEEEEEEEE...AM NOW...OFFICIALLY...INVINCIBLE! BUAHAHAHAHAHA!~"

As he placed his hands on his hips, he unabashedly laughed aloud in a proud manner, causing his opponent to snicker in remembrance and nostalgia of seeing his friend so stricken with drunken stupor.

"Now...I shall dazzle everyone...with my amazing...power!" Jack Lee proclaimed with a haughty laugh, rearing back his arms, as if he was preparing to do just that.

**FLOP!** But then, he fell onto his face with an audible smack, and began to snore.

Having seen this ruse before, the only person who didn't appear phased by the antics of the drunken fighter was Bruce himself. Despite this, Bruce decided to play along, acting like he was confused, "Oh dear...I guess you're giving up early in the fight in favor of a nap? Oh well, let me just inform the referee to begin the countdown-"

And just like that, Jack's seemingly prostrate body stood up, comically on the head and began moving around in a dizzying circle like a spinning top. The force however, yielded enough friction to create a monstrous twister, with himself at its epicenter, that drove forward with an unstoppable fury towards the opponent in question.

Backflipping out of the way, Bruce reared back his arms until they formed an 'X'. When the twister leaned towards him, he charged a good portion of energy into his limbs, and cut through the twister, dispersing it within one fell swoop. The exertion caused a thunderclap of force to smash into the ground, with Jack lying flat on his back.

Descending down upon his seemingly inert form, Bruce spun his body with his knees tucked towards his chest, spinning with enough force to appear like a rotating ball. The rotations were enough that he briefly disappeared, before reappearing where Jack's body once lied prone, denting the tiles before racing off after the retreating form of Jack.

However, despite the good chase he was giving Jack, Bruce was outmaneuvered with ease. Each exaggerated movement allowed Jack to swing out of reach, flopping to the ground before returning to his feet with comical staggering steps on the ground, swinging his arms out with drunken stupor.

Then, Jack retaliated.

"SSSSSSTRIKE ONE!" Jack shouted out, catching an incoming fist from Bruce, before dishing out a powerful knee kick into the gut. The force caused him to gasp aloud, saliva spewing out from the damage created by a single kick.

"SSSSSSSSSTRIKE TWO AND THREE!" Jack snickered aloud, as he swung Bruce around and slammed him onto the ground with a deafening slap on his back, following up with a solid kick to his side, sending him reeling backwards across the airspace.

Following him, Jack laughed aloud as he began hailing Bruce's helpless frame with dozens of punches and kicks, sickening crunches and powerful bursts of air pressure flowing around them as the drunken fighter mercilessly hammered his rival's frame.

"AND YER OOOOOOOOOOUT!~" Jack guffawed, as he headbutted Bruce's back, sending him reeling into the ground like a bomb, creating a reverberating shockwave to thrust across the surface of the arena for a good quarter of a mile.

Landing on his buttocks, Jack shouted out with joy and victory, his face alight with rosy cheeks, sporting his drunken state while he hiccupped, "Well now...that was certainly qui-HIC-ck...now...I wonder if there...is anymore sake left?"

However, the drunken Jack Lee spoke too soon.

"Ow, that really smarts," Bruce spoke as he slowly rose to his feet, revealing a bruised but not beaten warrior. Spitting out a wad of blood, he grinned with great anticipation as he clasped his fist into an open palm as his drunken opponent regarded him, "I know you're holding back, to get me into the mood, but I just wanted to make sure you had it in you. Leave it to me to underestimate you, hehe!"

"Brucey...your...your hair is really shiny!" Jack ogled Bruce's head with an unnerving desire, "c-c-can I have HIC...have it? I've...always wanted a wig like that!"

A nerve vein suddenly protruded on Bruce's forehead, suddenly causing the air to distill around him, even superheat. A column of distorted air rose around his body, as his energy brewed to the surface within the glow of a orange hue. Raising a fist with indignation and rage, Bruce's energy skyrocketed, as his body ignited with a brilliant aura of orange-white light, with crimson-black brands appearing along his forearms, his body's muscular disposition expand, and a pair of three black bands on either jaw emerged. With finality, a pair of black slitted irises emerged in exchange with his formerly onyx round ones.

"You want my youthful, gorgeous matte of locks?! Then you'll have to rip them off my dead body, Jack!" Bruce shouted out viciously, as the tiles around him flew up in the air slowly, signifying the density of his energy flowing around his person, "**3rd Stance, Crimson Tiger!**"

"Yeah...now that's the stuff right there!" Jack's cheeks flew back, as if he was in the middle of a power fan, grinning ridiculously all the same, "well now...I guess I got to get excited...myself! HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

A brilliant aura of emerald energy erupted from Jack's person, as his skin turned stark red, pumping an excessive amount of the alcoholic induced blood across his body, causing a large burst of energy to swell to the surface. His messy black locks stood upright, and his eyes seemed to white-out from the exertion, his mind going numb and his body responding only to pure instinct. The Drunken God has awoken!

With the two at their most powerful, they stared down at each other with dangerous sensations of killing intent, rolling off the dense and volatile waves of energy flowing around their pores. A legendary rivalry that's existed for nearly two thousand years, finally could be solved within a single match within the first round of the Other World Tournament.

**KRAK-KOOM!** The two leaped, disappearing before the audience's eyes, and struck each other's limbs, causing an enormous ripple of orange and emerald energy to be exuded within an instant, shattering the mile wide arena platform. As the two disappeared, they began to bounce across the barriers dividing the various sides of the stadium, flowing upwards until they entered the artificial space high above the viewers.

As Bruce managed to land a grapple to Jack, the force of his throw caused the drunken master to dent a nearby moon, creating a glistening flash of light followed by a ballooning wave of excess concussive force from the impact.

Jack narrowly evaded a follow-up claw-palm thrust, discharging a blazing wave of energy that seared through the core of the moon and shattered the other side of it on its opposite flank.

Bruce raised his left arm to parry a spinning roundhouse kick, forcing him off his feet and skidding across the surface of a planet. Even as he did so, he flipped his body vertically upside down, clawing the ground hard enough to halt his momentum. By the time he had slowed down efficiently, he suffered an overhead hammer fist, forcing him deep into the earth, creating a voluminously expanding crater upon the red sand-filled planet's surface.

Leaping high up into the air, Jack clapped his hands, causing a brilliant emerald-white aura to enrapture his red-skinned frame. Rearing his head back, he bucked his head forward, causing all of his hair to suddenly create an enormous wave of black tendrils of condensed and versatile hair. It might as well been a wave of searing hot, diamond lances, as they made the barest contact with the planet's sediment, shredding it to pieces as it aimed to overwhelm and skewer Bruce's body.

With a feral roar, Bruce retaliated by raising his hands upwards before swiping them down, creating solid ten meter tall crimson claw-shaped blades. As the wave of spear-like hair raced towards him, Bruce spun on his heels appropriately, and swung the elongated claws like projectiles, cutting through the bladed-tendrils with incredible ferocity that lied in front of the feral fighter. The rest of the hairs dug deep into the planet's surface, spearing through almost to its other side, all the while the ten crimson pillar-sized claws cut swathes of hair once more up towards Jack.

A purposeful severance made, Jack spun downwards within the wake of a emerald trail of energy, only receiving a gash from the bottom tip of the fast flying claws that sped into the distance, cutting through a distant moon within the distance.

The two once again met within the middle of the artificial vacuum of space, repeatedly striking against each other, faster than most of the audience could see. Every impact caused a vibrant flash of light, followed by grandiose explosions of friction and air pressure. It was as if they were entirely different fighters than what was shown beforehand. Mere mortals transcending into the incarnations of gods, smashing and shredding moons and obliterating planetary surfaces. It was truly something to behold.

Then, the two entities roared down onto the smashed arena floor, creating tremendous shockwaves by their landings, emitting contrasting flares of light.

Both of them bore gashes, discolored bruised skin, and were on their last bout. The two, despite all of this, wore ecstatic grins that met each other's eyes.

"Time to end this!" Bruce announced, stepping forward and rearing back his right hand, condensing all of the Ki he had left into his hand. The result caused a maelstrom of crimson fiery energy to erupt from his hand, expanding, and creating the effigy visage of a snarling tiger, encompassed within his right forearm and almost visibly alive.

Jack likewise raised a fist upwards, streaming all of his emerald energy to convert into a pure, white transparent energy aura. It shined brilliantly, and was surprisingly a lot more honed and controlled than the raging inferno barely restrained by his own opponent. It wasn't until his entire fist condensed the energy into his fist, that it shined almost as bright as a star that he stood ready as well.

A palpable silence deafened everything around the crackling and thrumming powers emanating from the two primed ultimate techniques. All waited at the edge of their seats to see what would occur, and who would triumph.

Then, the two lunged towards each other, their bodies crossing the threshold within the blink of an eye, and their fists clashing against each other the moment of their mutual utterance.

"**Elixir Fist!**"

"**Tiger's ****Maw!**"

As the two techniques collided, a brilliant excess of flashing light emanated, sending thunderous gale force winds behind each of the struggling men's posterior flanks. They struggled with all of their might, their feet digging into the rocky ground, indenting the grassy field slowly but surely. It seemed neither would give ground, despite the unstable field of array of blue bio-electricity between the two colliding strikes.

"YOUR HAIR IS MIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINE!~" Jack shouted out in a gleeful tone of anticipating victory, pushing forward, slowly gaining purchase against his opponent. Then, he saw that it was a mere ploy, as tiger's maw seemed to open and clamp over his brightly shining fist, before it was wrenched back, taking his Elixir Fist with it. This caused Jack to open his mouth with aghast shock, as the avatar of Ki transformed right before his eyes.

"NO ONE," Bruce snarled out, as his slitted eyes glowed brightly with rage, as he condensed the aura of energy into the palm of his right hand, causing it to glow a bright hot orange glow.

"TAKES MY HAIR!" Bruce shouted aloud as he lunged forth, swinging his palm out to thrust into his chest, discharging the energy all out from the single miniscule point of his hand, creating a monstrously sized tiger visage that devoured Jack, "**TIGER INFERNO BOMB!**"

Swept away within the current incinerative energy, Jack wore a goofy grin as his body slammed into the Northern Quadrant barrier, before his body was completely disintegrated within the orange-tinted blast. A deafening roar shook the stadium mightily, as the remaining energy flowed upwards within a pyre of destructive flames, consuming the distant moon that had been damaged by the pair's earlier fight.

"Whoo...got a little carried away there," Bruce wiped his forehead with a sign of exhaustion. His brands disappearing and his aura lessening, with his eyes reverting back to orbs, completing his regression back into physical normalcy, "best work out I've gotten in the past two thousand years."

Tostool, having somewhat been caught within the shockwave struggled to get to his feet, amazed to find the ash-layered field just bare inches away from where he could've been victimized by the two fighters' culminated attacks. Standing up to his feet, he shouted out with the most enthusiasm he could muster, "JUST INCREDIBLE, I MEAN INCREDIBLE! AFTER A CASUAL START BETWEEN TWO RIVALS, THESE TWO TITANS TAKE OFF TO THE SKY AND START WRECKING THE SCENERY! ONE LAST CLASH AND BRUCE HAN PULLS A FAST ONE AND ENDS THE FIGHT WITHIN A BRILLIANT FLASH OF LIGHT! WITH JACK LEE DECEASED, BRUCE HAN WINS THE ONE HUNDREDTH AND FIRST BATTLE, ALLOWING HIM TO PROCEED TO THE SECOND ROUND!"

* * *

**Battle 124 **

**GORILLA**

**VS**

**OLIBU**

As the battles progressed, the audience was curious to see more human fighters of the Northern Quadrant do battle, eager to see if they were all as skilled and powerful as the 101st combatants that were demonstrated. As the conflicts flew by, it was finally the one hundred and twenty fourth match, and the infamously skilled warrior known as Olibu had finally been called to the arena.

"Looks like its my turn to do battle," Olibu spoke with a smile, turning to face the Saiyans proximate to him, "wish me luck?"

"If you're a real warrior, you won't need it, Golden Boy," Bardock spoke derisively, grinning with afterthought as he winked at his mutual Northern Galactic contender.

"Show us what you're made of, Olibu!" Goku spoke with enthusiasm, raising his hand up to clasp Olibu's in a show of camaraderie.

Returning it with fervor, Olibu nodded to the shorter acclaimed Champion of the Northern Quadrant, before taking flight towards the ring.

Within a minute's time of casual gliding through the air, Olibu lands on the arena a dozen meters away from his opponent. In doing so he was granted the opportunity to observe his designated opponent, and allow himself to mentally prepare to combat him.

Gorilla, appropriately named, was a fighter with a visibly larger stature than Olibu. Even hunched over, Gorilla's chin met Olibu's forehead, showing his muscular brown skinned body. He had brown fur covering his obtuse shaped head, stopping at the end of his temples, reflecting his dark brown eyes well. Like other large built fighters from Heaven, he wore a pair of wrestler-type shorts and a pair of grey cloth boots, accented by the grey belt wrapped around his waistline with a nickel colored buckle and a pair of orange wrist bands.

In contrast, Olibu seemed to embody a much more sophisticated, if not archaic fighter. A sleeveless white tunic enamored most of his torso, down to his upper thighs, allowing part of his enlarged chest to be visible from the upper pectorals to around his collar bone. A pair of similar piece of fabric wraps neatly over his forearms, with the rest of the white linen to be wrapped around his feet, hidden by large brown boots. Brown leather straps hold the white tunic cloth intact, and a large brown belt with teal colored buckle wraps comfortably around his waistline. Finished with an orange headband, hidden by his long curly golden locks, Olibu almost personified what an Olympian god must've looked like.

"Its been awhile, Gorilla," Olibu greeted his opponent, as they were given a few moments before the round started, "how's those arms of yours doing? You look to be in incredible shape."

Gorilla just chuckled, as he responded nonchalantly back, scratching his left pit without any thought, "Oh you know, three hundred years and I think I've bulked up a little bit."

"That's good! I trust you'll hold nothing back, this time?" Olibu asked with a good natured laugh.

"Seeing as the Kais made this arena to be safe for people to watch, I'll try not to," Gorilla smiled challengingly, his eyes narrowing at Olibu in front of him, "though, it'll be hard to keep myself from killing you. Sometimes I don't know how to contain my excitement when my arms start swinging."

"Oh trust me, you're not going to hurt me, at least in the matter of which would warrant alarm," Olibu spoke confidently, waving Gorilla's concerns dismissively, as he squatted into a fighting stance.

"My strength is second to none within the Eastern Galaxy! You better not underestimate me this time around, Olibu," Gorilla spoke insistently, beating his fists together in emphasis of his raw power stored within his body.

"We'll see about that," Olibu smirked, settling himself into a stance not much unlike Goku's own preferred posture.

"WITH BOTH FIGHTERS GATHERED AT THE CENTER OF THE RING, LET THE ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY FIFTH BATTLE BEGIIIIIIIIIIIIIIN!" Tostool announced aloud, before jumping off the arena and running as far away from the massive arena as he possibly could, diving into a barrier protected area where the contenders stood. He didn't want to be caught within another explosion again.

Within the moment he spoke, Gorilla chuckled, his arm moving at an unprecedentedly swifter speed than most would give him credit for. The sudden movement caused the air to warp in front him, before tearing apart, and heading straight for Olibu's person.

Luckily, Olibu's instincts and battle prowess were well honed, as he quickly settled into a limber stance, moving his arms like water in front of the distortion. As if thunder had manifested by merest touch towards the transparent force of kinetic energy, Olibu pivoted on his heels and swung his arms around to the side, sending the force to fly elsewhere.

Screaming with incredible fury, a gouging fissure of raw power tore through the arena effortlessly and created a powerful crack within the grassy fields, moving with enough momentum to clap against the Western Quadrant's barrier with a vibrant explosion. The flames caused by the super friction blasted across the stadium's barrier protected height, before swiftly dispersing into oblivion, as quickly as the blast had came.

"I guess your strength isn't the only thing you've improved, old friend," Olibu grinned wryly, readying himself into a defensive posture as his eyes narrowed at his enemy's muscular frame, "found a way to control your awkward movements, I see. Very good, should make the fight all the more interesting."

"HA! I'm just getting started!" Gorilla shouted out with glee, his body suddenly moving forward with incredible momentum, pouncing upon Olibu's form with immense force. The resulting said crash caused the entire arena to indent a good twenty meters inwards, creating a huge pillar of debris and dust to rise within excess of a thunderous shockwave.

However, Gorilla's eyes widened at not finding Olibu in his arms, and instead saw a shimmering image of him dissipating within his grasp, "Afterimage?"

"Above you," Olibu whispered, almost teasingly as he hovered vertically upside down right next to Gorilla's form.

This caused the simian warrior to turn around with an instinctive growl, as he swung around and threw a fist towards his form, narrowly avoided by a spinning flip away from the blistering concussive force thrown where he was moments ago. The force that flew upwards continued, and didn't stop until it collided through a moon, vaporizing it into dust, before shattering a planet within a vibrant explosion.

The total miss caused Gorilla to be open to counterattack, as a powerful flying kick caught him in the jaw, causing the immense ape fighter to spin around in the air. Before the massively larger combatant could recover, he found a lariat maneuver halting his spin, hitting him straight within the midriff, as Olibu propped himself sideways slanted across the smashed arena floor and airspace with one arm and one foot.

Grappling the dazed fighter, Olibu turned around within the middle of the air and hurtled him upwards into the large artificial black sky, giving them a large amount of space between each other.

With a burst of light from his ridiculously small wings on his back, Gorilla finally halted his ascent, being at the highest point within the stadium's perch as he stared down at a confidently hovering Olibu. Arms crossed and a daring smile encroached across his face, as if he wanted to allow Gorilla an opportunity in landing a definingly one-shot attack to finish the battle.

"Heh, if you think you can take this on, be my guest!" Gorilla shouted from the top of the stadium's airspace, clasping all ten of his meaty fingers together, lifting them up over his head as he prepared to launch a powerful attack of his own. After a few deep breaths, Gorilla's arms clenched tightly, dozens of veins protruded across the brown skin as he readied himself for the ultimate attack.

Then, the hammer swung down.

"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Gorilla roared out mightily, as he swung his massive arms down, along with his fists, causing a distorting crack within the space in front of him. Forming what could be seen as a lightning-enraptured airwave of sheer kinetic momentum, the power hurtling down towards Olibu and the stadium would be enough to shatter a planet instantaneously, as well as continue to plow through anything for countless light years past it.

As the wave of destructive force crashed into the grass field and the crumbled, indented arena as a whole, an immense explosion of pure hyper-friction collision was felt, creating a near blinding flash of light to emanate within the moment of connection. The audience, as well as the contenders had to shield their eyes, as even portions of the blistering gale force thrusting winds hit them relentlessly within aftermath of the kinetic head's collision.

Gorilla lowered himself down into the smoldering smoke, waving a single arm out to dissipate it, to find his opponent. As he did so, he found his mouth agape and his eyes nearly bulging out of their sockets.

There, hovering within the epicenter over where the crater of the arena had been formed, was none other than Olibu, perfectly intact and visibly untouched by the destructive force thrust his way. A smile worked its way up on his strong jawed face, as he unfolded his arms expectantly, clapping with sincere admiration, "That was great, Gorilla, just wonderful! You used a great amount of power in that attack. However, without any precision or guidance to it, the movement is easily dispersed and makes it irrelevant how strong it really is."

"The movement, yes," Gorilla sweated slightly at the sight, but slightly grinned with renewed confidence, as he reared back a fist and swung it towards Olibu's nonchalantly floating body, "but what if the impact hit you point blank, would you have time to stop it?!"

As the distorting force coiled around the blurring rush of Gorilla's right arm, something else seemed to move much faster than Gorilla's massive right limb.

**SMACK!** Gorilla's eyes widened with shock, as he felt his fist stop dead in his tracks, as it made contact with something halting its progress. What he saw dumbfounded him. Olibu outstretched a single forefinger from his right hand, and tapped it on the middle finger's knuckle. This halted the force, dispersing it as if it was nothing more than a gust of wind, and incapacitated the arm's physical power within an instant.

As he felt his arm go limp, falling towards his side, Gorilla sweated bullets with shame, as he looked up sheepishly at Olibu's stalwart smiling face. With a belated sigh, Gorilla extended his sole working hand, "I surrender. I know when I am clearly outmatched, and once again, you've proven to be the stronger warrior."

"Strength alone isn't the solution, Gorilla. Finesse, grace, technique, and poise are all necessary in harnessing the power you need to overcome foes ten times to a hundred times stronger than yourself. Remember that," Olibu continued, clasping Gorilla's hand with a friendly shake, as he grinned with finality, "and you will assuredly surpass even the likes of me, in time."

Tostool, barely finding the strength to stand from the billowing winds that breached the barrier he took shelter within, had his mouth open wide with amazement and joy. Raising the mike to his mouth, he began relaying the conclusion to the match, "ISN'T THIS SOMETHING?! DESPITE HOW VIOLENT AND UNEXPECTED THIS MATCH STARTED, WE MANAGED TO GET A HANDSHAKE BETWEEN TWO HONORABLE FIGHTERS, WITH BOTH THEM BEING ABLE TO WALK AWAY FROM THE CONFLICT! WITH GORILLA'S WILLING SURRENDER, OLIBU WINS THE ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY FIFTH MATCH, GRANTING HIM PRIVILEGE OF ENTERING THE SECOND ROUND!"

* * *

**Battle 175**

**LOGAN**

**VS**

**KOGU, THE EDGE**

After the match with Olibu and Gorilla, a few fights soon after followed in suit, admiring Olibu's gentleman attitude and Gorilla's admittance of defeat. The prospect of walking back with less broken bones, bruises, and possible utter annihilation sounded more appealing to those who believed to be outmatched in certain matches that transpired afterwards.

But it would not be the case for this match.

Logan, a savage humanoid resembling a denizen of Earth, was condemned to Hell from the Western Quadrant. He was asked to be part of the battle against a well known Galaxy Soldier underneath Bojack's command.

When the two fighters assembled within the center of the arena, they were allowed a few moments of respite, allowing them to observe each other and sense each other's true strength for themselves.

Logan seemed short, yet robustly built, vaguely similar to a certain Saiyan Prince's stature. A cigar was wedged firmly between his teeth, simmering with an idle orange glow as he puffed small clouds of toxic vapor, rolling across his grizzly black sideburns, leading up to spiked out black mane that moved in either direction. As he reached up for his stag, he tossed it to the ground and used one of his dark brown cowboy boots to smother it out, as the rest of the vapors crawled up his black slacks, brown belt waistline, fur-lined sleeveless coat. This revealed his trademark weapons, a pair of silver vambraces with retractable tiger claws built within their knuckle wrapped compartments.

Kogu on the other hand was a tall, muscular and apparently alien humanoid, with a dark blue skin complexion and a crop of torch-styled orange hair. With a purple piece of linen wrapped around his forehead, letting its tassel hang freely near his right jaw, showcasing his pair of golden spiral-shaped earrings, matching the golden spiral necklace wrapped around his neck and hung over his chest. A crimson sash wraps around his left shoulder and folds within the beige slacks that lead down to his golden-black boots, with a long-sleeved jacket with poofy shoulders and open golden clasps near his wrists. The most defining thing about his visage was the elaborate, golden-triangle-guard and blue handled sword sheathed on his right hip, encased within a black and golden scabbard.

One thing was clear. Neither were interested in exchanging pleasantries, and both looked ready to kill the other. For the prize of life restored to their bodies and returned to the realm of the living, they'd do anything at any cost to gain that gift.

This conflict would be no different.

"WITH BOTH FIGHTERS PRESENT ON THE RING, LET THE ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY FIFTH MATCH BEGIIIIIIIIIIIIIN!" Tostool announced, before scurrying away the ring, stopping just short of the edge to watch it from a good distance.

"Let's dance, bub!" Logan growled out, swinging both hands out with a flick of his wrists, causing a pair of three blades per vambrace to emerge with a metallic click, as his body lunged towards its prey.

With a hand on his sword, Kogu backpedaled away from his charging opponent, thrusting his free hand towards his short-statured enemy and launched a sphere of emerald-white energy at his direction. Much to his surprise, Logan simply swung his right hand's pair of claws, cleaving through it effortlessly, dispersing it into a shower of sparks as he kept sprinting towards his enemy.

As Logan leaped upwards, he swiped one of his weapons towards the Herasian, snarling as he did so. The edge of his claws scraped lightly across the durable blue skin, causing a spurting motion of violet blood to emerge from his flesh, causing alarm to the taller fighter. The fact the weapons could pierce his durable flesh, which was comparable to a Super Saiyan's skin, made Logan all the more dangerous.

Unsheathing his sword in a fluid motion, he managed to duck and weave through Logan's continuous barrage of relentless strikes, using his heightened speed to his advantage. Then, he parried the claws with his Darkness Blade, bringing up a shower of sparks as he expertly crossed metal against his mutual foe, as he gritted his teeth in concentration. Within but a few moments, his parries began to put Logan on his defensive, and before too long, he found an opening...

**SHINK!** Within a precise arcing movement as he vaulted over Logan, a diagonal cut practically cuts through Logan's body, issuing a dramatic spilling of blood from the short man's body, before he was deftly brought to his knees.

However, this didn't stop Logan from returning the favor.

With a deft snarl Logan rushed towards the Herasian's backside, taking two long swipes through his jacket and cutting deep through the flesh of his back. As violet blood flew into the air, Kogu's rage was issued forth.

"You'll die for that!" Kogu snarled out, as he swung his Darkness blade around, now bathed within an aura of black flames, and cleaved the man in a perfect horizontal half, while lighting him aflame. Despite being cut in half, the man was able to live long enough to yell out with rage, as his skin began to char and his blood began to leak from his cleaved body parts.

Not bothering to wait for the flames to do their work, Kogu raised his hand towards the writhing opponent, and released a voluminous wave of emerald-white energy, disintegrating him to ash. Taking awhile to admire his handiwork, his painful grimacing only served as a reminder of his carelessness of his opponent. With a wad of spit striking where his enemy's remains lie, Kogu sheathed his blade and made his way back towards the Eastern Quadrant area where he belonged, taking off long after Tostool regained his composure to announce properly.

"WOW! ANOTHER QUICKIE UNDER THE TABLE, KOGU, THE RAVISHING'S VICTORY IN THE ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY FIFTH BATTLE HAS EARNED HIM A SPOT WITHIN THE SECOND ROUND!"

* * *

**Battle 249 **

**CHAPUCHAI**

**VS**

**ZANGYA, THE RAVISHING**

With the show of the first Galaxy Soldier, many of the audience waited and anticipated to see the remaining Galaxy Soldiers show of brutality and efficiency displayed on the battlefield against their opponents. Many battles transpired, some just as quick, others of great magnitude, while others seemed to be pale and bland in comparison to the prior fights.

Finally, the two hundred and forty ninth battle signaled the sign of another show of Herasian bandit dominance. The femme fatale, Zangya, was called out onto the ring along with mutual fighter from the Eastern Quadrant, Chapuchai.

As the pair landed onto the ring's center, a few moments of respite would pass, allowing the two to analyze each other and consider their placement in the battle before them.

Chapuchai, unlike some of the more recognizable fighters of the North, South, and West Quadrants belonging to Heaven, was an incredibly short fighter. With a shade of brown skin over a muscularly fit frame, he withholds a fist tail shaped black beard which matches his dark brown eyes. A pair of long white linen fighting slacks and a pair of fighting slippers, defines Chapuchai's appearance.

In contrast, Zangya had beauty that was envy and rivalry of many of the beautiful female combatants within the Tournament. As an Herasian, her blue pigmented skin looked smooth and soft, while displaying her lithe athletic bodily disposition, and enhance the ankle long orange curly hair running down her shoulders and back, with a pair of dazzling blue eyes. Like her prior comrade, she donned a pair of golden earrings and a necklace, signs of her allegiance to Bojack as a Galaxy Soldier. Her attire consisted of a sleeveless white jacket, atop a black matted sash wrapped around her chest, leaving her navel and lower back bare. Matching the sash in coloration was a pair of arm warmers, wrapped firmly around her forearms. With a golden buckled pair of white linen combat slacks,with a purple sash tied around her waist to have it hang behind her thighs and posterior, Zangya's look is completed with a pair of golden-black colored combat boots.

Bias alone, many of the male members of the audience were rooting for the orange haired woman. While those who detested anything to do with Bojack and his band of thug-acting pirate lieutenants, naturally shifted in support of the lesser known fighter of the Eastern Quadrant. Regardless, the ambient atmosphere of shouts and boos were mingled into static to the two fighters, as they studied their enemies with a reasonable calm gait.

That is, Zangya did.

Chapuchai on the other hand, couldn't help but retain a pair of blushing cheeks, nearly drooling at the sight of the goddess-equivalent opponent he'd been selected to combat. But the look quickly vanished when Zangya's aura darkened and her eyes smoldered at the disgusting visage he had not but moments ago. He didn't know whether he was lucky or unlucky being paired against such a ruthless woman with looks that could kill.

With nothing brought up in particular, Zangya exhaled in a bored manner, as she announced with a wave of her right hand, keeping her left arm wrapped around her midriff, "Let's get this over with..."

"_Am I that much weaker than she is? Is that why she's so calm?_" Chapuchai began to think, as beads of sweat trailed down his bald scalp. Gulping in excess of his growing hesitation in fighting the dangerous dame of the Galaxy Soldiers, he shook his head as he tried to renew his vigor, "_no! I am still an honored warrior of the Eastern Galaxy, trained by East Kai, makes the likes of Tapkar from the South Quadrant look incredibly slow in comparison! I can win this!_"

"WITH BOTH FIGHTERS STANDING ON THE RING, LET THE TWO HUNDRED AND FORTY NINTH BATTLE BEGIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIN!" Tostool shouted aloud eagerly, now keeping himself off the constantly destroyed and repaired ring, preferring the safety of the green lawn in front of the North Quadrant's viewing booth. Being closer to the Kais gave him a sense of reassurance he'd be safe. Coupled with the proximity of a barrier protected contender's area he could retreat to, he felt his place was to be a lot farther away from the combatants and more to the audience.

With his said announcement, Chapuchai made the first move.

A brief growl emanated from the back of his throat, as he flexed his arms together and squatted, generating a bright blue aura of Ki around himself. Even as the ground shook, and energy rose to the surface, he didn't see Zangya bat an eye in the least. A confident chuckle emitted from his throat, as an aura of electricity gathered around his body, making him almost transparent in front of the audience and his enemy.

Zangya sighed, closing her eyes as Chapuchai called out challengingly, "Here I come!"

With a zipping motion, Chapuchai disappeared from view, appearing directly overhead the Herasian woman. Swinging a fist down to hit her in the jaw, he found it swiftly deflected by a pendulum swing upwards by Zangya, sending him reeling backwards. This caused his eyes to widen with surprise, as he barely sensed any rise of energy from within his opponent when she reacted to his attack. How could she detect him, with her eyes closed no less?

"Was that it?" Zangya asked with a sneer, turning to face him fully, glaring daggers at him, "all that powering up and you're only that fast?"

"I-I can go faster!" Chapuchai found himself stuttering, growling at himself for looking pathetic in front of the beautiful bandit. Rearing his arms back, his aura intensified, relaxing his visage to being visible, but with a constant stream of visible tendrils of bio-electricity flowing around his skin and attire. Then, he charged, this time moving at a rate that seemed to produce multiple afterimages in his wake.

Without unwrapping her free, left arm, Zangya used her right hand to slap and deflect each and every charging attack from Chapuchai. Even though it seemed his presence was omnipresent, Zangya's arm moved too fast for him to detect or evade. In the end, Chapuchai found his beard within the grasp of the deadly Galaxy Soldier, and slammed into the ground with a mighty crack. He didn't even get a chance to utter aloud in pain as he was tossed a good dozen meters away, by his merciless opponent.

"Ready to give up?" Zangya cackled with a cruel grin as she observed his wincing form.

"_I can't go any faster than I have...the only technique I have left...is my Legion technique..._" Chapuchai thought with belated breaths, hesitantly raising a hand to wipe away the blood trailing from his mouth as he observed his opponent.

Seeing no other choice but to give it his all, Chapuchai crossed his arms to have his knuckles brace against each other. Closing his eyes, he began to hum aloud, as his aura began to strengthen around his body. Within a few seconds time, transparent copies of himself began multiply from him, dividing from him and all taking the same stance. What was bizarre was that his strength didn't seem to wave or decrease, even as nearly the whole arena began to be populated by all of the transparent avatar effigies of himself.

Then, retracting his fists, he slammed them together, causing all of them to materialize and gain substance. All of them donning the same hyper-speeding aura as the original, the Chapuchai clones all bore a similar grin and acted accordingly of their will. Its as if they all were born out of existence, with the same mindset and thought process, and even physiological as their original. Even more fascinating, none of them possessed halos, like the original, making him stick out almost like a sore thumb.

"HA! What do you think of my ultimate technique, the **Legion Cloning** technique?!" Chapuchai asked with haughtiness, as he crossed his arms over his small, burly chest.

Zangya was reasonably taken aback. She'd never seen so many replications before. She knew it was a common skill among martial artists, even for her people, but the cost of distributing the energy was too taxing and in the long run, wasn't a worthwhile tactic. However, what this man did was entirely different. Had he an ounce of threatening power on his behalf, she knew this would be a very troubling predicament.

However, a bemusing chuckle graced exited her darkly smiling lips, as her eyes locked onto Chapuchai's form, "You have an impressive technique. But the fact of the matter is that your power is so weak, it makes this technique so useless. I should not have to remind you it took the likes of a Kai to subdue person, and it wasn't done quietly. Are you so arrogant as to believe this power of yours makes yourself more deified than they are?"

"I...no, I uh..." Chapuchai stuttered, completely taken aback by Zangya's choice of words to him. He never considered the idea of him being the equivalent of a Kai's level of strength. Even if they complimented him, he knew he could never be a match to them. If this was true, and this woman was the same kind who could match martial might!

Of course, it was all a ploy for Zangya to assume her cross-armed stance, holding both linen-covered forearms in front of her face. With only dark smiling lips revealed, her hair began to rise up into a complete vertical alignment, as her aura of violet-black energy rose to the surface and crackled around her person with menacing intensity.

"Let me show you the power of a true goddess, little man!" Zangya snarled out, her arms swinging out before her, as her eyes glowed a frightening blue-white.

The whole world went white for Chapuchai. What could be seen as a maelstrom of violet-black energy, it detonated all around her body and exploded outwards, taking the whole arena with her, and nearly hitting Tostool in the process. The fireball that launched into the sky would only be dwarfed by the thunderous clap of the explosion's shockwave that thrummed the stadium, signaling the total annihilation of her opponent being consumed within the vibrantly dark maw of explosive energy.

Within the aftermath, Zangya's arms were let down along with her hair, as she stared boredly at the indented ground around her. The only thing still standing was a good twenty meters of solidly erect earth and arena tiles, her own power proximate to it being the sole thing from keeping it topple over. Rising to the air, it crumbled into dust into the center of the large, ash filled pit, joining the single golden halo that used to be Chapuchai, as all of his clones were vaporized within the blast.

Zangya smirked as she caught the look of satisfying fear emit from Tostool, as he stood up to his feet, trying to compose himself to announce the end of the fight.

"L-L-LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! IT APPEARS THAT AFTER A STUNNING BLAST WAS RELEASED BY ZANGYA, THE RING ALONG WITH CHAPUCHAI AND HIS ARMY OF CLONES HAVE BEEN TURNED TO DUST! WITH VICTORY ATTAINED BY ZANGYA, THE RAVISHING, ALLOWING HER TO PASS THE TWO HUNDRED AND FORTY NINTH BATTLE ONTO THE SECOND ROUND!"

* * *

"Boy," Bardock whistled out, having witnessed the dominance Zangya had placed in the ring. It was one of the few battles he actually paid attention to, let alone kept him from falling asleep. That, and the fact she was easy on the eyes caused him to grin wryly, as he spoke aloud, "if I wasn't mated right now-OW-OW-OW-OW-OW!"

"Well you are, hot shot, so deal with," Hanassia uttered flatly, yanking Bardock by the ear downwards to discourage his longing gaze of the Herasian bandit.

"I can't help but feel repressed, woman!" Bardock complained, freeing himself from her grip as he flailed his arms insistently, "the Kais must have something to do with that supposedly _random_ name selector! I mean, Kakarot and Bojack happen to start first?! What kind of Tournament starts like that?! I feel like this has been set up somehow..."

"I'm sure you'll get your turn soon, dad," Goku tried to reassure his dad, whom shook it off while still looking infuriated.

"Don't talk to me about composure! I watched each and every one of you fight! Hell, even Golden Boy over there got to fight!" Bardock emphasized, motioning towards the stoically silent and patient human standing not too far away.

"How about you chill for a few moments and see what the next match is, then?" Fasha proposed with a roll of her eyes.

An announcement however, interrupted them with an important message, issued by Tostool, "I'M GETTING WORD FROM THE GRAND KAI THAT EVERYONE WILL TAKE A HALF TIME BREAK! CONCESSIONS WILL BE PROVIDED FOR THE CONTENDERS AND THE RING WILL UNDERGO MAINTENANCE FROM THE LAST BATTLE THAT WILL TRANSPIRE. A TOTAL OF SIX HOURS REPRIEVE IS GRANTED SO THAT ALL CAN GET ANY REST THEY WISH BEFORE THE NEXT MATCH BEGINS!"

"Well I can't stand six more MINUTES, little twerp!" Bardock shouts angrily, waving a hand towards Tostool's form, causing the latter to sweat nervously, "I want to be in that match now, or I will start doing very BAD things to everyone around me! As in, the kind of things that cause people's bones to snap and pop like poorly presented musical instruments! THAT kind!"

With that said, a good portion of the fighters standing near Bardock gave a comical retreat, and a considerable amount of space was given to the rage-fueled Saiyan. By reputation alone, his power overwhelmed a good number of skilled fighters, and they knew if he went on a rampage, they would undoubtedly suffer from it like the collateral they'll become.

However, before much more arguing could be done, the name listing began to spin on the digital board within the skyline of the stadium. All those present held their breaths as they awaited the inevitable announcement for the names that'd be listed.

Then, as a ringing sound was heard, the names came up for the 250th battle's combatants...

**BIDO, THE GRAPPLER**

**VS**

**BARDOCK, THE LEGENDARY SUPER SAIYAN**

As Bardock saw his name, especially the oddly flickering letters of the additional title at the end. But when he did, he could only chuckle a while, even as a bright blue aura began to coat around his skin, flowing upwards like a flickering flame that worked its way to the surface, waiting to turn into an inferno within an instant. As he walked forward, he swung his arms out to either side of himself, letting out a bellowing shout, "ABOUt...DAMNED...TIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIME!"

The shout released an unintentional Kiai, causing Goku to wince as he moved his hands up with everyone else to plug their ears. Any lesser fighters were knocked off their feet by the sheer might of the shout, tumbling head over heels by the shockwave leaving the Saiyan's mouth and shaking the Northern Quadrant seating of all those within proximity.

At the sign of this, the crowd erupted into a excited roar in return. The idea of seeing another battle with a Super Saiyan, legendary among the depths of Hell, as well as seeing one of the infamous Galaxy Soldiers be one of his opponents assured all viewers of an exciting conflict.

* * *

Above them all, however, King Kai's eyes narrowed at the title and looked over at the Grand Kai with scrutiny, asking him lowly, "You wouldn't happen to be responsible for the addition of a title on that screen, would you?"

"Its all random, King Kai! How could suspect that I had such a hand in something so crafty? For shame, King, for shame," Grand Kai waved dismissively at King Kai, while laughing it off with humor.

"Whatever you say," King Kai sighed heavily, sweating with embarrassment, now fully under the conclusion the Grand Kai had been responsible.

* * *

**Battle 250 **

As Bardock touched down onto the arena floor, he was met by the eager and haughty glare of Bojack's largest henchmen, Bido.

A few moments of respite was given, allowing the two combatants to make up their mind about doing battle, as well as analyze their opponents properly.

Bardock was in average in height, with a profound muscular figure, showing around his armored and cloth covered body. A black breastplate, with lime green straps wrapping over his exposed shoulders, covered his chest, with a similar shade of green over his abdominal plating. A pair of ribbed green thigh guards stretched out from his waistline, from which had his tail wrapped firmly across like a fur-lined belt, with a pair of black fighter slacks and black-green tipped boots. Wrapped around his calves and forearms were blood red linen wrappings. Lastly was the symbolic headband, which had been in his life bathed in Tora's blood, tied tightly around his forehead, underneath his raven locks. A look as iconic as the 'X' shaped scar adorning his left cheek.

Bido on the other hand was a good two heads taller, with a robustly heavyweight-type figure. Rippling blue-tinted skin defined by large muscles, Bido certainly lived up to the title he had while among the living, shown to be a true physical type for a grappler. With an orange Mohawk, and a goatee, it contrasted vividly against his large blue-skin jawed visage, and his bright blue eyes. The Herasian also had a much more colorful attire than his Saiyan opponent had. A high-collared, purple jacket lied open and unclasped, revealing his muscular torso and arms, only lightly adorned with a golden necklace that matched his earrings. A black sash hung out from mid-front of his white linen slacks, tucked into a pair of golden-black pair of combat boots, matching the pair of golden gloves adorned on either hand.

Both of them looked intimidating and brimming with power. Feral grins quickly adorned their faces as they could feel this would be a battle worth remembering.

"WITH BOTH CONTESTANTS ON THE ARENA FLOOR, LET THE TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH MATCH BEGIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIN!" Tostool announced, already standing within the Northern Quadrant's area, comically right next to Goku, sweating profusely with stark fear for what would come about from their battle.

Bardock and Bido immediately powered up, feeling there was no reason to hold back.

"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Bardock bellowed out, as a wave of golden light engulfed his body, bursting from his skin as the ground around him exploded violently from the exertion. Fully emblazoned in golden energy, it contrasted vibrantly to the bulky and emerald-white glowing form of Bido, whose jacket was ripped to tatters during the process.

"Let the dance to your grave begin, Super Saiyan!" Bido shouted out, racing head first towards Bardock, swinging his now pea-green colored fist towards Bardock's form.

However, what he hit was the open air where Bardock's head was, receiving a punishing punch in gut. This caused him to wince as saliva leaked from behind his clenched teeth, signifying the severity of the damage left on the now purple welted abdomen. His eyes twitched madly and he suddenly had the inclination that he was somehow slower than his opponent.

Swinging out a left haymaker in retaliation, Bardock ducked underneath the hastily thrown attack until his back was nearly touching the ground. Springing his legs upwards, Bardock kicked Bido leaning pectorals, sending him reeling high into the air.

Even as Bido winced at the sudden movement, he only had time to blink as a golden stream of movement flew up to him, ramming a elbow strike into his face. The deafening crack of force that was heard drowned out the pained gargle uttering from the Herasian's throat, as his nose been shattered within the midst of the impact, forcing his eyes to tear up and blood to ooze from his nostrils, drenching his upper lip with violet colored liquid.

"I'M GOING TO MAKE YOU PAY FOR THAT!" Bido shouted aloud, his emerald-white aura bursting out even brighter than before. Rearing his arm back, his orange-gloved fist made a deafening impact, even causing bright blue sparks emanate from the point of which he struck. Bardock's jaw turned along with the punch, as the knuckles firmly submerged into the flesh of his cheek.

However, Bido suddenly felt pain from his own knuckles. It had been delayed due to the force of the impact, but he could clearly feel the skin between the bones tear open into gashes, along with the surface of the gloves being burnt off by coming into contact with the protective aura Bardock mounted up. Retracting his fist, he saw steam roll up from his violet-stained blue knuckles and the sizzling smoke the rolled up from the ruined protective weaving.

"So, I guess I wasn't imagining things," Bardock spoke aloud with a chuckle, even as a small trickle of blood oozed from a portion of the corner of his mouth, having been cut by the attack his enemy made. Raising his left fist, he wiped it as his eyes narrowed dangerously, "that punch was more like a tickle. I barely felt a thing."

"W-What?!" Bido cried out in alarm, backing up slightly at the sight of Bardock laughing at his punch.

"I guess its true what they say. The taller and bigger guys of a select group of exceptional fighters are often the weakest. At first I thought it was the short guy with the turban, considering he was pummeled by a kid. But you? King Vegeta's brat tanked through all of your hits like nothing, and THIS is the power you used on those two humans. I have to say, I'm sorely disappointed you're not as strong as you think you are," Bardock ended with an irritated glare, his feet propelling him ever closer within the airspace as he approached Bido in the air.

"T-This guy's like Vegeta! There's no way I can beat him!" Bido's eyes twitched with fear and felt his mouth gape with wonderment how the Super Saiyans continued to outclass his strength. Clenching his teeth hard, he didn't want to end up like how he did against him, let alone his untimely demise at the stronger-than-average humans' hands. Raising his voice, he began to utter aloud with great humiliation, "I-I'm no match for you, Bardock. I'm no match for any of you Super Saiyans..."

"_The Hell?_" Bardock glared heatedly at Bido, suddenly knowing exactly where Bido was going with this, "_is he really going to wuss out, right at the beginning of a fight?!_"

"I s-surren-GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUUUUUGH!" Bido tried to utter, as he suddenly saw stars. Literally, his body was uppercut with enough force to send him high up into the artificial space, directly into the surface of a moon. He felt his back painfully contort, as it dented the entirety of the facing side of the planetoid, forcing blood out of his mouth.

Again, he felt a painful earth-shattering punch, this time driving him through the surface of the moon and through its core, barelling out the posterior side. Before he could even streak out much further, Bardock was upon him, slamming a descending kick of powerful proportions, caking his body in a painful burning aura of golden light, sending him hurtling down towards the arena.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Bido shouted in stark terror, as his body slammed face first into the arena floor, causing an enormous explosion that blew away a good quarter of a mile in diameter, sending a mushroom cloud upwards from the force.

He struggled to get out of the crater, his body layered in violet welts, bloody gashes, and burnt skin. Heaving with great effort, Bido couldn't halt the blood streaming down his crushed nasal cavity nor his bleeding mouth.

**CRACK!** Even as he got up, he wasn't given a second of mercy, as he felt his jaw shatter from an incoming right hook to the left side of his face. Tumbling head over heels, his bleeding and bruised body rolled across the ground, even as the Super Saiyan walked towards his wounded form.

"You don't get to call the shots of when you're going to give up or not. At least have some dignity intact, and die on your feet!" Bardock snarled, as he reached his shaking body, his emerald eyes glaring heatedly at him.

"B-Brrock...plzzz...dnt..." Bido begged, despite the immovable and shattered jaw he had.

"If you can't fight back, allow me to do something that Vegeta did to your leader," Bardock chuckled maliciously, rearing back his right arm, clasping the upper portion of his limb with his left. Within but a few moments, his arm became engulfed with compressed golden energy, sparking wildly and disorienting the air around him with golden streaks of bio-electricity. The landscape cracked, and debris rose up in a moment of zero gravity, all the while Bardock retained a dark smile focused on the look of absolute terror Bido had.

"Now take this!" Bardock shouted aloud, moving faster than his opponent's eye could see, as he impaled his golden-light-blade outlined arm through his enemy's torso. With a sickening splash of violet blood emitting from the point of entry, all the way to his back, Bardock smiled with satisfaction as he heard one last gargled cry of outrage from his enemy.

"GLAAAH! Huaats ike errr!" Bido garbled out loudly, despite the voluminous quantity of blood that now rushed out of his jaw and leaked onto Bardock's exposed left shoulder and arm, spattering a little on his face.

"What's that?! I'm sorry, I can't hear you over the sound of your guts squirting out!" Bardock mocked, as he wrenched his energy blade out of Bido's body as leaped up into the air backwards. Raising his arm, he then declared mightily, intending to make it one heck of a show, "**SAIYAN BLADE!**"

Swinging downwards, Bardock's blade extended astronomically, bisecting his opponent in half while splitting a good portion of the arena in front of him doing so. Bido's eyes rolled over to either side as his body split in half cleanly, both portions of his body now seared from the points of the cut, fell limply backwards from the sudden life that had been wrenched from his being.

Landing onto the ring, Bardock smiled at his handiwork, as he propped both of his fists on his hips, "Not too shabby. Could've made it a little wider and bigger, but no need to be too excessive," turning around, he looked over towards Tostool's direction, whom was rushing in the arena's direction. When he clambered onto it, he sped swiftly towards Bardock, he saw the result of Bardock's impressive finish, causing Bardock to declare with a thumb's up, "we good, ref?"

"Uh, sure," Tostool spoke back, as he gazed over with slight detestment at the sight of Bido's bisected body, before clearing his throat, "WELL THERE YOU HAVE IT! THE TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH BATTLE HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO A CLOSE! BIDO, THE GRAPPLER, WAS NO MATCH FOR BARDOCK, THE LEGENDARY SUPER SAIYAN, AND GRANTS THE LATTER VICTORY AND PRIVILEGE OF ENTERING THE SECOND ROUND!"

"Alright!" Bardock pumped his hand, as the crowd roared with excitement and applause, glad to see such a spectacular finish, despite it being a completely one-sided battle.

"WITH THE HALF OF THE FIRST ROUND FINISHED, I NOW OFFICIALLY DECLARE IT TO BE TIME FOR THE HALFTIME BREAK! CONCESSIONS WILL BE PROVIDED BY THE KAIS AND A INTERMISSION OF SIX HOURS WILL BE GIVEN TO THE AUDIENCE AND YET-TO-BE ANNOUNCED CONTENDERS! USE YOUR TIME WISELY AND BE READY FOR ANOTHER TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY BATTLES YET TO BE HAD!" Tostool charismatically announced, causing the rest of the stadium to roar with excitement and anticipation.

In six hours time, the Tournament would resume. The question was: What would happen in the meantime?

* * *

Within the next few minutes, the Kais had transformed the grassy field in front of the four rows of competitor waiting areas into a large recreational lobby. Rows upon rows of lavish foods of exquisite kinds ranging across the Universe gathered high upon a buffet line. Steaming, chilled, buttered and seasoned, all of the foods familiar and unfamiliar to the many fighters who've fought and yet to fight in the coming matches.

As the contenders dived towards the rows and rows of tables of delicious food, the Kais also took advantage of the ensuing distraction to rearrange the stadium's seatings, while the Grand Kai delivered food to the masses that were still seated within the stadium's seats.

Due to the fact there would be five hundred fighters who wouldn't pass the first round, with more on the way, each Kai went to their designated seating area for the Quadrant sections the fighters were already waiting. With a combination of Psychic abilities and low tier magic, they remodeled the lower seatings of every partition of the stadium to provide lavish and distinguished seating for the five hundred fighters who wouldn't pass the first round. With arched out roofs that extended all across each section of the stadium, red cushions on comfortable chairs and with good viewing was provided for all those closest to the stadium.

The idea is that the stadium would increase in size to accommodate more and more rows of disqualified and defeated fighters, while the victors would stay within the original designated waiting area. Of course, it too was modified to have their own preferred seating, for which would be immediately removed upon their loss of a match.

With all the renovations going on, the ring itself was turned into a dining area, where many circular tables were placed for the dozens to hundreds of competitors who wished to commune with each other and eat their food at their own pace.

However, as pleasant as the events were going through the first half hour, things were guaranteed to take an unexpected turn, sooner or later...

* * *

"Torbie!" A giddy, musical voice called out towards the red-black armored insectoid fighter.

Before the humbled warrior realized what was happening, Butterwing flew right into his proximity. Wrapping her arms around his neck tightly as she giggled at the sudden burgundy shaded blush that worked its way on the normally stoic fighter, "Its so nice to see you like this. Wasn't my match awesome?!"

"Y-Yes you were surprisingly spectacular out there," Torbie spoke, trying to remain impassive to his transformed comrade's teasing nature. Her fingertips sent odd electrical impulses through his exoskeleton, bringing an unknown sensation to the forefront of his brain. He couldn't place it what he was feeling, but considering he'd never become romantically close to any of the fellow warriors of Heaven, he never cared to experience the disturbing euphoria threatening to overwhelm his brain.

Thankfully, Butterwing relented, donning an adorable semblance to a pout, as she hovered gracefully and effortlessly in front of her robust companion. Her lips squeezed together to make a comical fish-face, narrowing her eyes in a disapproving glare, "Torbie, you're not acting like yourself around me."

"Considering I've never considered you to be of the female gender, when and if you ever went under your transmutation, I guess its leaving me in an awkward position in how to communicate to you. That is all, really," Torbie spoke factually, crossing his arms and looking away, closing his eyes with a sign of contempt.

"No, I mean, considering how long its been since any of us had a break. You haven't made a single dash towards the buffet lines," Butterwing emphasized with a wave towards the tables stocked with food, and the makeshift dining area beyond it, "you've hardly made a reaction, moreso than usual since your loss against that Atom-"

"Cell," Torbie corrected her with a serious stare.

"I hope you aren't holding onto a grudge and refusing to eat anything because of it! I mean, this happened when you loss to Pikkon, and you pushed yourself like crazy to get where you are now," Butterwing tried to implore, but Torbie remained unaffected.

"Cater-uh-Butterwing, levitate up a dozen meters with me," Torbie spoke awkwardly, but in a much more commanding tone.

"Why?" Butterwing arched a brow with curiosity.

"I need you to see something, and its best if you do it with me," Torbie said insistently, as his body rose up in altitude.

With a sigh, Butterwing gently fluttered her wings as she rose up with her friend, now gazing way above the mass of contenders mingling and consuming food. On the opposite end of the stadium, standing perfectly still with arms crossed was the entity of Torbie's attention: Cell. It appeared as if he neither was willing nor cared to move in and socialize with the others. Even the seats that had been formed near where he stood were unused, as his eyes were the only things that seemed to be moving.

"He's standing like a statue. That's no fun," Butterwing spoke with a pout, crossing her arms over her voluptuous chest, eyeing Torbie who gazed longingly at Cell. It was one of contest and determination, up to the point of stupidity. With a sigh, Butterwing stroked her temples as she continued, "look, Torbie, I know you mean well in aspiring to find a new rival, but you're NOT him, despite what you think of yourself. He's a monster and a machine, with the sole purpose of destroying things precious to others. You are a fighter of justice and champion for peace. And just because you lose to the bad guy once, doesn't mean you should deprive yourself of fun."

"I don't know how I'm supposed to get stronger by relaxing," Torbie frowned, crossing his arms over his chest, "if they are set with the singleminded desire to win, then they seem to have the right idea-"

"It may work for him, but you're not him," Butterwing corrected, smiling up at him with a bright grin, earning a resigned smile from Torbie. Before he could react, the Space Faerie looped an arm around his left, and swiftly soared down towards the buffet lines, "now c'mon! We're going to gorge ourselves until we're stuffed with contentment!"

"At least your appetite hasn't changed," Torbie could only roll his eyes, as his smile wryly spread across his face. With resignation, he knew there would be plenty of time to aspire to catch up to the infamous Bio-Android. What he knew was that his comrades were willing to stick by his side, winner or not, and he knew that was what mattered in the end.

* * *

As the majority of contenders, both of Hell and Heaven, communed they seemed to be all in good cheer. Only a couple hours had passed and it seemed to increase the cheer, and the animated chatter between the fighters. Former enemies in the prior life, or with radically distant ideals, now all ate and tolerated each other's presences with a much greater enthusiasm.

Encouraged by this notion, Grand Kai decided to add a wide variety of liquors within his knowledge of throughout the Universe. In doing so led to great approval, as he spread it around conservatively to the audience, while giving special bountiful quantities to the contestants. While over consumption wasn't a huge problem at first, it did lead to an interesting jingle, held by the Ginyu Force's table and spread like wildfire into the audience's seating.

The people were clapping, and the majority of those around them in the festive mood sang with them in the chorus. It had a irish tune familiar to those within the Northern Galaxy's human fighters, but was sung in a collectively understandable tone.

"~Now everybody's died!~" Jeice began to sing in cue, smiling widely.

"~So until our tears are dried!~" Guldo sang to the best of his ability.

"~We'll drink and drink and drink and drink, and then we'll drink sssssome more!~" Burter chimed in.

"~We'll dance and sing and fight until the early morning light~!" Recoome bellowed musically.

"Now everybody!" Jeice added quickly, as the chorus broke into full swing once more.

"~Then we'll throw up, pass out, wake up, and then go drinking once again! HOI!~" The entirety of those singing with the Ginyu Force spoke aloud, as they bent their drinks back and all downed as much as they could, laughing in aftermath.

"That was certainly fun to sing," Fasha spoke with a flushed grin, holding a large mug in one hand, while sitting across from Hanassia.

"I'll give those guys credit, they sure know how to work up a crowd. I didn't even know they COULD sing. Just that they had fragile limbs," Hanassia snorted and laughed at the joke, for which Fasha giggled as well.

"But you know what would be more interesting?" Fasha asked with a challenging grin towards Hanassia.

Hanassia narrowed her eyes, as she took another gulp from her own pint-sized mug, "What are you suggesting?"

"Nothing that won't disqualify us by the stuck-up Kais, mind you, but a bit of a preliminary match. Something to show just how strong I am, and how much you should take me seriously," Fasha grinned as she winked the last sentence out.

"Preliminary as in not a fight?" Hanassia queried, as her attention was at its peak now.

"We have an arm-wrestling contest, RIGHT here, RIGHT now!" Fasha struck her elbow onto the table, an open palm beckoning her with the challenge and invitation.

Hanassia couldn't help but smirk at the prospect of having an opportunity such as this. Not only would she be able to sense the power dwelling deep within Fasha's core, she'd also get a chance to truly get a work-out. Her fight with Zorn was sadly disappointing, and she knew there would hardly be any real good fights within the first few rounds of the Tournament. This would help work off some nerves she's been bundling, as well as settle the score with the would-be mate of Bardock.

As the mother of Raditz and Goku rested her own elbow on the table, she spoke confidently as her hand clasped Fasha's, "Are you sure you're up to this, Fasha? You can walk away now without suffering any real pain. I wouldn't blame you if you did so right now-"

"Like Hell I will!" Fasha shouted out, loud enough to usher in a sudden silence and attraction to their current activities. Turning her head, she caught sight of the Ginyu Force, shouting over to them, "you four! Act as the refs for this one! We're going to arm wrestle over here!"

"Arm wrestling bonnies? No way we're missing out on that!" Jeice spoke aloud with a rosier complexion, beckoning his other drunken teammates, "c'mon Ginyu Force! We got a hot event to spectate on!"

"Recoome will not complain on this idea!" Recoome spoke with a chuckle, as he and the others quickly clambered through the crowd that gathered around the two Saiyan women.

With both Saiyans locking eyes, they inhaled and exhaled deeply. Each of them could feel their own heartbeats slow, as they gripped each other's hands in preparation. Despite it not being a death match, the intensity didn't feel any less between the two Alpha female Saiyan warriors. One reputed as the strongest of her gender in her lifetime and the other being one of the fiercest elites, tasked with the strongest warrior under the Commanders, Bardock.

"Alright, ladies! On your mark! Get set! AND GOOOOOOOOOOOOO!~" Jeice swung his arm down as he shouted jubilantly to get all onlookers, and the two competitors, into the game.

As soon as Jeice spoke, they began their competition.

At first it didn't appear their arms were really moving, even their visages didn't waver. Their hands appeared to be vibrating, as the true struggle was being initiated through the point of contact. At first, only minimal energy was placed into their little contest. But as the minutes drew by, the forearms began to vibrate as well, and looks of grimace crossed both of the Saiyan women.

"C'mon, Fasha! Show who's boss!" Guldo shouted from the said Saiyan's left.

"Recoome is a'cheering for you, Hanassia!" Recoome bellowed near Hanassia's right.

"Work it, girlsssss, work it!" Burter cheered nonsensically.

Finally, Jeice shouted with a fist held high, "Do your best in the name of Captain Ginyu!"

"WILL YOU ALL SHUT UP?!" Both Saiyan women shouted at the Ginyu Force standing around them. As they renewed their concentration, their brows began to project beads of sweat and protrude veins of frustration. Their palms began to crackle with unstable energy, as their arms practically glowed with fueling Ki to increase their chances of overpowering one or the other.

Hanassia internally thought it was surprising that Fasha kept up with her every step of the way. With every passing second, she slowly let out controlled minute amounts of her power flow into her arm and focusing it to the palm of her hand. In this manner, their battle for dominance wouldn't be as destructive because of the control had. However, as time continued to crawl, the energy output began to rise exponentially higher than either of them expected they needed for such a rudimentarily simple contest.

Blocking out all the sounds, she began to only concentrate on the limb standing in the way of her victory and her assertion of dominance over Fasha. Slowly, but surely, her arm began to move towards its goal, and press against the stubborn hand of her opponent. She knew if she kept this up for just another minute, she would be able to proclaim victory and-

"Hey, Hana! Have you seen your son, Raditz, anywhere?!" Aosai appeared behind Hanassia out of thin air, placing a hand onto her shoulder impatiently.

The sudden and instantaneously loud voice shattered her concentration, thus her slowly gaining victory. She could only gasp as she felt her arm snap in the opposite direction entirely, causing her body to move with the arm as the table shattered from the impact. Hilariously enough, the center of the arena buckled with the release of pent-up energy within Hanassia's freed limb, sending a vibrant shockwave that knocked everyone off their feet within a twenty meter radius.

While Fasha and Aosai were on their feet and unharmed, they soon could feel the waves of bubbling rage ebbing off the mate of Bardock's body.

"Oh...were you two having a match or a competition?" Aosai asked incredulously, her eyes widened as she realized what happened.

"No, really? Exactly what did you think the source of the chanting of our names and the look of intense staring was for? A dinner date?!" Fasha snorted at Aosai as she rolled her eyes.

"Oh...sorry," Aosai bowed her head with apologies, which were immediately waved dismissively by Fasha.

"Forget me, carrot top. I won the competition thanks to your inadvertent interruption. Its Hanassia you should be worrying about," Fasha snickered, even as she backed up away from the slowly rising woman, she added hastily, "she's a really sore loser when this happens..."

"Oh, Gamikai," Aosai's eyes widened with comical fright.

As Hanassia fixated a white-eyed glare at the woman responsible. Her hair rose up within sync of an explosive glow of golden energy, changing its tint to glowing blonde locks, as her voice bellowed with a bloodthirsty shout, "_**AOSAAAAAAAAAAAAI!**_"

* * *

Hanassia's rampage lasted a good half hour. Aosai screamed shrill cries of desperation as she dodged and weaved within the artificial space horizon, with the maddened and vengeful-crazed Super Saiyan in hot pursuit. Wherever the Herasian Galactic Champion went, the inferno-tempered Hanassia followed. Each fist and kick she threw annihilated planets and moons, left and right.

It took both Goku and Bardock to grab a hold of either arm, holding her back as Super Saiyans themselves, in order to calm the enraged woman.

Aosai tried to apologize, but that only made the series of incoherent swears come out faster and more vulgarly from Hanassia's mouth. Within a blipping movement of disappearance, Aosai whisked herself away out of sight, allowing the woman to completely calm down.

A grumbling King Kai drove the Zamboni across the decimated arena before taking it towards the skies, aiming to restore all of the planets and moons back to their original designated spots. As he came across the de-powered family trio of Saiyans, King Kai asked incredulously as his machine climbed vertically into the black space horizon, "Is the woman half sane now?"

"She would be more sane if hyperactive Herasians didn't ambush her from behind," Hanassia growled lightly, but exhaled the tension from her nostrils regardless, "if you're talking about my tirade, I...apologize..."

"Yeah, you know women these days take their little contests so seriously, haha-OW!" Bardock laughed aloud before feeling an elbow impact his armored abdomen, causing him to grimace and glare at his mate, "dammit, woman! Lighten up for a change!"

"I WAS lightened up, Space Rambo! That is, until Miss Perfect came and blindsided me, ruining the only REAL fun I was having!" Hanassia growled as she poked insistently her mate's breastplate.

"Welcome to the club, Hanassia! Until the fight before this break, I was having NO fun at all!" Bardock growled back his forehead practically inches away from hers as they glared at each other.

It was within a single instant that they felt a painful tug by their scalps, as a exasperated pair of glaring onyx eyes projected from their youngest son, as he pulled them apart and halted their squabbling.

"Alright, both of you get a grip! Everyone has to wait their turn to fight, so that gives neither of you an excuse to act put-out! I'm the son for crying out loud and you don't see me acting fidgety as Hell for the first round to be over!" Goku spoke sternly, releasing his grip on his parents' hair and crossed his arms over his own armored chest. Turning to his mother, he relayed a much calmer tone, though kept his eyes steeled, having been accustomed to his mother's more primal nature from training with her, "mom, be honest with yourself and was all this destruction really necessary? If anything, you're giving Saiyans AND Super Saiyans all-around a bad name by spazzing out in such a childish manner. What Aosai did was an accident, and as naturally upsetting it is to lose a challenge, you really shouldn't blame her for it."

Both parents spent the first few moments of Goku's lecture just jaw-dropped and wide-eyed, with the King Kai even joining in as he stopped his Zamboni to listen. As his tone lessened in severity, and became focused on his mother, both Bardock and Hanassia could only wince and grimace at their own childishness. What any normal Saiyan would excuse himself or herself as being instinctive or natural, was now being judged as immature. They couldn't look at Goku due to the shame of their own son actually working up the nerve to call them out.

"So...I'm going to go and clean up the mess and leave you three alone," King Kai spoke nervously, pushing the gas on his Zamboni and into the stars, already rejuvenating the debris-ridden remains of the planets and moons back to normalcy.

"Kakarot," Hanassia finally breathed out, glaring back at Goku enough to cause him to take a step back in fright, "under any other circumstance, I'd beaten your face in for talking that way to me. But, as it stands you were right THIS time," sighing, she relaxed her stare back to an understanding one, "I'll make sure to behave myself better from now on. Only promise that you let your father and I be the ones on your side of the lecture table, instead of vice versa. Capiche?"

"Sure," Goku smiled widely, breathing out a sigh of relief, glad to know his mother was mentally stable once more.

"Now, to relieve all this stress, your father and I will have to consume what's left of the buffet lines," Hanassia snickered, wrapping an arm around her mate's free one, yanking him insistently downwards, back towards the stadium.

"No need to be pushy, woman," Bardock grumbled, albeit smiling with a roll of his eyes, happy to oblige at the mentioning of food. Within but a seconds, the two descended back towards the stadium, leaving their son in peace.

But he wasn't alone for long.

"Is your scary mom gone?" Aosai asked, her form coming into view from behind a piece of space debris, blinking hesitantly.

"Yeah, she's gone," Goku spoke with much more cheer, turning around to greet Aosai fully and with a wide smile, "you alright?"

"Say what you will about her temperament, but she's a lot faster than I gave her credit," Aosai chuckled sheepishly, moving a few stray bangs across her smooth forehead back behind her left ear, "I'm just glad she was destroying artificial worlds instead of real ones. I'd hate to think what would've happened to the audience if I hadn't taken off up here..."

"Mom's a little hot-headed and rough around the edges, but she's caring on the inside. Even if she doesn't know that herself," Goku said honestly, smiling blissfully as he gazed down at his black breastplate, stroking it thoughtfully, "its just been awhile since she's actually socialized. Her life wasn't one I envy, that's for certain."

"I see," Aosai spoke in a soft tone, her eyes looking to the side. She couldn't help but smile as she muttered in a whisper, "it must be nice to have a caring family..."

"Hm?" Goku cocked his head to the side, scratching his head, "did you say something?"

"Oh, no," Aosai raised her hand up, her face glowing a tinge of pink around her cheeks as she insisted, "I just..."

"_Pardon for the intrusion, you two, but this is Olibu,_" Olibu spoke in a good-natured tone, via telepathy, "_but I thought it best since none of you have officially made acquaintance, I thought it best that you all sit down and have a drink! And just to clarify, its most of a sweet drink than an actual form of alcohol, so don't fret about the details, Son Goku._"

"_Oh! Okay,_" Goku thought back with a smile, raising his forefingers to his forehead, sensing out where Olibu's presence was, "_are you standing right next to them?_"

"_Yes, and its probably for the best I was here. Pikkon is not one for contacting people for an engagement, and Rao is a bit socially withdrawn. He's not as forthcoming as you or I, if you understand,_" Olibu explained with a sheepish laugh.

"_Its alright! I'll just grab Aosai and-_" Goku began to respond, before his eyes blinked. Aosai had whizzed away, once again using a mysterious alternate form of instant movement, "_oh...I guess she found her own way. Very well, here I come!_"

* * *

Within an instant later, Goku appeared before the assembled group.

As the son of Bardock and Hanassia looked around, he realized that they were within a special booth just a dozen meters away from the Kais' viewing booth. It retained a interior filled with red velvet carpet, with a tunnel leading towards a staircase that circled down towards the exit, as well as lead to the Kais. Smooth dark hardwood enamored the ceiling and walls, leading up to the four viewing seats, specially reserved for the champions.

But what caught Goku's eyes was the four seats assembled around what looked like the sleekest mahogany dining table. Olibu had his hand resting on a crimson cushioned, wooden chair, indicating where Goku would sit, being one of the two who would sit nearest towards the balcony beyond.

"Sorry if I kept you waiting," Goku scratched the back of his head, as he took his seat laid out by Olibu, "you weren't waiting long, were you?"

"No need to be so modest, Goku. You are a guest and an honored one at that," Olibu spoke with insistance, waving his hand towards their table and his mutual Galactic Champions, "please drink and acquaint yourself with your mutual champions. I feel you may have more in common with each other than you realize."

Raising a brow with question, Goku turned to see Olibu walk towards the balcony, "Wait, aren't you going to join us, Olibu?"

"It isn't my place to intrude," Olibu waved his hand back, smiling reassuringly at Goku, as he hefted himself onto the balcony's perch, "this is the table you've earned. Try and enjoy it to the fullest!"

Without a thought of hesitation, the golden-haired fighter of Earth leaped upwards acrobatically before descending down, out of sight, leaving Goku with the other Champions of the Universe with him.

"Well, uh...okay," Goku returned his attention back to his mutual fighters for justice, sitting down before the elegantly carved table, "so...you guys are Galactic Champions to, huh? What exactly did you guys do to earn such a cool title?"

Seeing that the others wouldn't voluntarily start off their history, Aosai turned her eyes to Goku and began speaking first, "My name is Aosai. As you know, I'm from the Eastern Galaxy, born and raised on Hera. Seven centuries before Bojack's reign of terror, Hera was a beautiful and prosperous planet, with a rich culture. Unfortunately, it was also based on a caste system, one of which restricted freedoms for the Herasians and chose their destinies the moment they were born. I was one of the servant class of my kind, born only to serve the hierarchy and the royalty that followed. I never complained, but I always desired to be something more. I'd often confide with my fellow handmaidens of my desires. They teased me, but they didn't discourage me to stop.

Then, one day everything changed. Intergalactic pirates raided our world, using technology far more advanced than we could have anticipated. They bombed our cities and kidnapped our people, as if they were the worst kinds of thieves. They even kidnapped my friend, Eleyna, one of the few people who shared my own dream of becoming something greater. The military tightened around our world, but they had no intention of finding my friend. So I entered the prison from which they held a few of the bandits, one of which was a forced recruited child. I begged him to take me to their hideout, offering him freedom in doing so.

After highjacking one of the transports we possessed, we took off towards the coordinates the boy pirate knew where to go after their mission was over. What lied within the asteroids field was an immense, talon-shaped space station. We narrowly evaded search by the other pirates, as we navigated our way to the holding areas where our friends were being kept. What greeted me horrified me to a degree of immediate trauma. The pirates were not only beating the boys and elderly they had in their possession, but were doing the most vile and disgusting things to my friend and other females of various ages.

It was there I was able to let loose the power within me through a bout of righteous felt rage. The power that coursed through my young veins was a rare one, which very few Herasians are ever given the privilege to be born with. The power to harness starlight into our bodies, and then increase our strength at an astronomical rate. I felt more alive than I ever was, using the natural martial artistry talents the Handmaidens of the hierarchy are given, I incapacitated and subdued all of the pirates within their stronghold. Not only did I rescue those who've been captured, but I also rescued a good number of slaves under their control, and returned them back to Hera.

It was that day that the caste system was given extreme reconsideration. Exemption was given to any Herasian man or woman whom has proven his or herself to be deserving of another role, so to speak. It wasn't the change I hoped, but I was given the title of Guardian, and there was much peace that was brought about my oversight. I taught both the hierarchy and the lower classes to draw upon the power within their bodies and their souls, and imbue it with the energy we absorbed from the radiant two stars within our solar system. A whole line of Herasian warriors with the ability to use their inner strength, and the ability to harness the power of the stars was granted to them. My final days were spent in peace, my life only ending when I sacrificed before I had chance to grow much older. I had left to curb an arrogant student that attempted to usurp the throne, but his blow to my heart ended my life.

Ever since my death, I learned advanced martial arts and trained my body on East Kai's planet, also learning to augment my abilities to heal that I learned as a Handmaiden to a higher degree than I ever thought possible. For a thousand years I watched Other World continue to glisten with magnificence and wonder, and I rarely ever partook in any request the Grand Kai would have for me culling abnormally misbehaving forces within Hell. Though I have made acquaintance with some of the fighters of the South Quadrant and the North, I spent the majority of my time training, meditating, and relaxing in this lifetime. Who knew I'd get the chance to challenge myself and use my skills from both my past and present lifetime, right?"

Goku had nothing but wide eyes and a open mouth, as he listened to Aosai in awe. He couldn't believe that Aosai had endured so much, and complained so little for the majority of her childhood. He knew if he was placed in her situation, he'd be griping and fidgeting about being suck in a class that he never felt comfortable with. It only made his admiration for her just grow, and truly cherish her as a friend.

But, he had a question, one that made his brows furrow with confusion, "Hey, Aosai. That story of your life was incredible, but there's one thing I'm a little confused by..."

"Ask away," Aosai smiled at Goku, finding his confusion cute to observe.

"How did your people assign children to a specific class? What you just described to me sounded like that their system was flawed, due to you being more of a warrior than a servant. So, how did they keep it like that for so long?" Goku asked as he leaned on the table by his elbows, propping his face up as he blinked curiously at Aosai.

"Well, the way they did so hardly ever led them astray. They based on what kind of passion a child would have by the alignment of the stars, the year he/she was born, and the bloodline they possessed. I'd like to believe it had a 95% accuracy rate, but as it went the longer I lived, it turned out to be only 50% accurate. I was a rare exception due to the unique power I inherited far beyond my line's conception," Aosai raised a finger in emphasis during her explanation.

"Huh, sounds a bit controlling if you ask me," Goku said with a shrug, crossing his arms behind his head as he leaned back in his seat, staring up at the ceiling, "every person deserves the chance to be free, to choose their own path. For better or for worse, I think it'd be a lot better that way for the Universe."

"It might work for some races, Goku, but it can't work for everybody," Aosai argued, her brows furrowing into a frown as she leaned forward on her side of the table, "if you were go give the same kind of freedoms to beings capable of malicious torment and evil, would you think a equal rights citizenship make them upstanding entities to the rest of the galaxy?"

"Tell that to the Saiyans," Goku spoke in a non-humorous tone, crossing his arms over his chest as he stared at Aosai's blue eyes, "My brother, Vegeta, myself, and thousands of children were never given the opportunity to choose for ourselves what we wanted. We were only instructed to kill, maim, and destroy anything that could breathe on the planet we've landed on. I was lucky I found such a kind man to care for me, and if I hadn't gotten sense knocked into me, I'd done the same because I wasn't given a choice. Frieza took away any dignity, pride, and honor the Saiyans had, and turned its survivors into barbarians, expecting nothing less than complete ruthlessness. I may not be the smartest guy, but its hard for me to distinguish the difference between your society's caste system and Frieza's imposition of working the Saiyans like dogs, giving them no other choice in the matter."

Aosai bit her tongue and looked away from Goku's hardened stare of seriousness. As much as she could argue against it, the Saiyan from Earth had made some points of his own that she couldn't deny. The fact he's seen some horrors and darkness in his lifetime than most veterans would care to see. His sincere and honest way of looking at things caused her to verbally run into an impasse.

She was only glad to hear Rao clear his throat, to break the tension in the air.

"Not many people know about my past, so I'd appreciate if this doesn't leave the room," Rao began speaking in a hospitable tone, grasping the edges of his hood and throwing it back, allowing them to see his violet colored hair, knife-arcing ears, and soft smile revert back to an impassive grimace, "I grew up in the Southern Galaxy's planet called Konats. Konats itself was known as a beautiful world, filled with luminous starry nights, lush forests, and oceans so clear that you can see its bottom. I spent most of my early days within the Church of the Supremes, a tradition passed on to pay respect to the highest of Kais that reigned over all four corners of the Universe, including our Galaxy. I was a mere acolyte, training to become a priest and I believed my days would be spent in harmony and peace within our isolated world's society.

But then, the day came when it all came crashing down. An insidious cult, known only as the Kashvar, practiced the deranged arts of black magic and reveled in the act of genocide of any race that wasn't their own. We'ved dealt with them from time to time, ultimately proving their ordinary methods vain as they are a physically weak species, and would often rely on using their witchcraft to reign in beasts and servants of darkness to do their bidding. What they did during our time of peace, however, was far worse than our previous clashes. They revived a Demon of unspeakable power, simply named Hirudegarn.

A demon of colossal size and insectoid in shape, the creature's body seemed resistant to almost any form of damage our meager military could project. It fed on the flesh of those it purposely left alive, wounded, and traumatized, as if to satiate its sadistic appetite as well as its voracious bloodthirst. It would come in the form of billowing smoke, and would often retreat as fast as it came, in order to further ensure it wouldn't be harmed by any acts of extreme measure. Within a matter of ten years, our once large populace had dwindled to a quarter of what it used to be, and many of our cities became graveyards across the span of the unending attacks.

I prayed day and night to the Supremes, hoping that we would be delivered from the evil that plagued my people. When I wasn't doing so, I tended to the sick and the wounded, giving all the care and hope I could to those within my reach, and would encourage the spread the word of faith in a better tomorrow. Because of our dire situation, I didn't expect any good will to head my way, resulting in many sleepless and tiring nights for me.

But I was blessed by two pure-hearted souls. Tapion and Minotia, two orphans whom were being taken care of by the Church I oversaw, decided to pay respects to me on a daily basis. They'd volunteer to help me tend to the wounded, ration out food, and even help me on my wearier days to my bedside. Had I considered the possibility of raising a family, I wouldn't want better sons than the two boys who cared for others, each other, and my own well-being.

These acts of good deed and cries for help weren't ignored. Low and behold, I was greeted by the Supreme of Kais himself, bestowing upon me gifts that would help end my race's plight and grant me peace of mind. Taught spells in tongue and movement I never would've dreamed to be possible, as well as the art of the sword, I soon became a veteran warrior. The two boys became my disciples, and we began to rally hope as we were given a plan to defeat the beast and claim peace once again for our world.

Before we could fully subdue the menace that haunted my people, the Supreme blessed us with two gifts.

The very flutes used to reign in the beast soon came into our possession and was cleansed, only pouring forth what the Supreme called the _Song of the Universe_. My disciples weren't even fluent in playing music, and because of their pure desire to free their kind, the notes came out naturally. The last gift I was granted was the greatest work of Kai craftsmanship, the Brave Sword. A weapon capable of cleaving through negative energy at will and is empowered by the courage flowing through any being who wielded it, was the perfect bane to the evil demon Hirudegarn.

With the combined efforts of both flutes and a precise cut from my Brave Sword, the beast lied helpless and defeated. But it couldn't be slain, and already tried to realign its split halves within seconds of its decapitation. So, the boys performed a selfless act, and drew in both halves of the terrifying beast into their inner beings, imprisoning it, and ending the plight of our people.

Unfortunately, the sacrifice was a cost I didn't realize until later. Due to the danger the beast's body had, despite being lodged within a disembodied stasis, it came to our attention that the moment either boy's consciousness fades to unconsciousness, the beast would be freed. No matter which half, it would try to ferret out destruction once again and seek out the other half to reunite itself and continue its rampage of genocide and chaos. With this in mind, what was left of my people's government and military decided to set the boys in a stasis of their own, hopefully giving them rest they so rightfully deserve, and launch them in modified rockets. Designated to be thrust into the far corners of the cosmos of the Eastern and Western edges of the Universe, in order to keep either half from being possibly reunited together.

I wept for many days, as the two boys who gave me solace and comfort were taken away from me. Even still, I was regarded as a hero and a legend, and I did my best to use the influence I had to better my people. I had an effigy of their likeness at their finest moments in the subduing of the demon placed within the center of our new capital, Tapiotia, in further honor of the sacrifice those brave children made. I used what knowledge attained by the Supreme's teachings to be passed down, and a line of holy warriors were established, as the ability to employ magic was to be the greatest gift I could offer to my race.

Doing all I could, I spent my remaining days in the Church, thanking the Supreme Kai daily for his service and blessings to my people and that his hand would guide my two disciples to peace of their own. I passed away in pleasant slumber in my final days, passing onto this world and being granted the ability to train with the South Kai. There I learned advanced martial arts, honing my body to perfection and giving me a finer warrior spirit, as well as making me a formidable match for any fighter of my quadrant.

I never thought it be possible, but as a token of goodwill, I was also granted the original blade given to me by the Supreme Kai, the Brave Sword. A piece of home I've never parted with, has given me great comfort and rest through the many years I've lived in this world of blissful peace and harmony. To think I could be granted the ability to fight at odds with so many fine warriors also gives me a smile, knowing that I didn't put the past millennia of training to waste."

Goku had been reserved and silent throughout Rao's story. He never had felt so rattled and so moved for a complete stranger before. The man's past was filled with both good and so much pain, heartache, and suffering. If there ever was a sympathetic warrior worth giving reverence, Rao would fit Goku's book for ones needing empathy.

Still, throughout the latter explanation of the gifts given to him by whoever was the "Supreme" Kai, he saw him gesturing to a sword that was sheathed within a leather scabbard, leaning next to his chair. The hilt, the guard, and everything about its craftsmanship made it uncannily similar to a weapon he had seen turned against him by a young man. He never saw it again, but...he could've sworn there was a defining parallel design to them both.

It was at this period of time, Goku's attention turned to Pikkon, whom seem to have been glaring at him. He seemed to be eerily quiet, and almost as if he was being irreproachable on purpose. Personally, the Saiyan of Earth never had a problem with the green skinned, amphibious looking fighter of the Western Quadrant, but he always held a certain dislikement to how stoic and stone-faced he's been around him.

Having sensed a silence with Goku's stare fixated at him, Pikkon spoke bluntly, "I'm not about to share my past life, nor anything about myself to you, Son Goku. I don't think you've earned that kind of knowledge."

"Fair enough," Goku spoke levelly, trying to remain hospitable to the fighter, despite his disdainful choice of words, "though I think I'll earn it, once I've won this Tournament, right?"

"Hmph," Pikkon rolled his eyes, crossing his arms over his chest as he spoke, "forget about winning your way back to your family. Unlike what you believe to be a fantasy, death in that world is the end for you. You may have been given a second chance, but you blew any chance of a long and prosperous life. If I were you, make peace with the idea that your family is never going to see you again, and that you're now content to be within this realm."

A sudden, chilling silence elapsed over the room. It only took a small amount of words for Pikkon to literally suck any form of festivity and joy between him and his mutual fighters. Whether it was a painful truth or not, Rao and Aosai couldn't help but cast their own scowls, as futile as they were towards the cold hearted companion of theirs.

Then, Goku spoke with a sudden serious edge, as his eyes locked onto Pikkon's, "Listen here, Pikkon. You may have given up on the real world cause you don't think you can make a difference. Well I have the power to make that difference. So losing this Tournament isn't an option for me. I may die a thousand times in this eternal world, but I will never give up. My feelings for my friends and love ones; my passion for justice and protecting what matters to me; and my Will to never give up is what makes me strong, stronger than anyone I've ever faced. You may be fine with being cold, lonely, and empty, but you will be very surprised to hear this. But there is no way a person like you will ever win against me. EVER!"

Pikkon, despite hearing the impressive rhetoric Goku spouted from his mouth, could only smile challengingly back at Goku, "Really? Then here's a cold hard fact I'll issue back to you. I'd rather spend the rest of my days in Hell then see a childish, ignorant, empty-headed fool like you get a third chance at living in your blissful world of innocence and laughter. There will never be a day where you can win against me, Son Goku. Not today, not tomorrow, and not in the next ten thousand years. It is not boast, it is just fact. You will never be better than me."

Standing to his feet, Goku could only glare back at the green skinned entity, proclaiming to be an ultimate obstacle in the path to his life back on Earth. He couldn't help but keep his eyes locked onto the determined, red orbs of Pikkon's assumedly cruelly smiling face. The haughtiness rolling off him wasn't undeserved Goku could feel the power barely withdrawn and contained, ebbing off him like a steaming pot of boiling water.

And yet, Goku couldn't help but smile challengingly back, catching Pikkon by surprise by the gusto the Legendary Saiyan of the North Galaxy's next words, "I've heard better speeches made by Frieza. If that's all the confidence you got, I'm sure I can take whatever you can throw at me."

Before anyone could protest, Goku strut out of the room, turning his back on Pikkon as he would leave the viewing box and return to his family's side. He knew that is where he belonged. It didn't matter what he earned or what he deserved. The ones he loved and who loved him were the best people to stand with, even till the bitter end.

"Hang in there, Chi-Chi, Gohan, Goten. Just wait a little longer, and I'll be home soon," Goku whispered to himself as he descended from the balcony back into the crowd below.

* * *

**A/N:** _AND DONE! Whew, this is probably the second biggest chapter I've ever written in my life XD _

_So, I want to cover a few things. _

_Jack Lee and Bruce Han are a culmination of several real-life iconic martial artists. Jack Lee is more based on some of Jackie Chan's more ridiculous roles,and Bruce Han is based off of Jet Li and Bruce Lee. Their techniques, personalities and attitudes were totally whimsical when it entered my mind, as I had no intention of them being vivid counterparts to either the real people or any characters they've acted to in the past. I also tried to make out how badass the old Kung Fu masters would've been in the DBZ world, especially if they were given ample time to bulk up and train in Other World. _

_I had a lot of fun writing out all the fight sequences, despite how long it took me, I also enjoyed writing the Halftime break. It helped show that this is a funny and playful atmosphere, but I also wanted to show the maturity building within Goku, as well as his ultimate goal being revealed before the Galactic Champions. I hope you liked my takes on them and the pasts that were revealed. _

_If you have any questions, feel free to send a PM to me or vaguely imply it within your Review over the Chapter. _

_I'll try and get the next Chapter out by next week Friday or Saturday (so not this week but the following week) as I am intending to spend some time catching up on_ The Vegeta Chronicles.

_Until then, I'll see you guys on the next,_ The Other World Saga!


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